Dr. Flora Meilleur
Joint Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University & Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Lead Instrument Scientist: IMAGINE, HFIR
Education
Ph. D. in Structural Biology, Université Joseph Fourier & The European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Grenoble, France
Description of Research
My primary research interest of is in biophysical chemistry of proteins, focusing on structure and function relationship. We combine high resolution X-ray and neutron crystallography to analyze the chemistry that underpins biomolecule function from their atomic structures. We are specifically interested in understanding cytochrome P450s, one of the most versatile biologic catalysts.
We are also working on understanding the structural changes that are associated with virus assembly, attachment and infection at cell membranes. We use a suite of structural techniques, including crystallography, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and reflectometry to model the structural rearrangement undergone by virus particles during the infection process.
More detailed information is available.
Selected Publications
Meilleur F., Contzen J., Myles D.A.A., Jung C. (2004) Biochemistry. 43, 8744-8753. Structural stability and dynamics of hydrogenated and perdeuterated cytochrome P450cam (CYP101).
Meilleur F., Blakeley M.P & Myles D.A.A. (2005). Hydrogen and hydration-sensitive structural biology. Editors Niimura N., Mizuno H., Helliwell J.R., Westhof E, pages 75-85. Neutron Laue analysis of hydrogen and hydration in protein structure.
Snell E.H., van der Woerd M.J, Damon M., Judge R.A., Myles D.A., Meilleur F. (2006) Eur. Biophys. J. 35, 621-632. Optimizing crystal volume for neutron diffraction: D-Xylose Isomerase.
Di Constanzo L., Moulin M., Haertlein M., Meilleur F., Christianson D.W. (2007) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 465, 82-89. Expression, purification, assay, and crystal structure of perdeuterated human arginase I.
Meilleur F., Snell E.H., van der Woerd M.J., Judge R.A., Myles D.A. (2006) Eur. Biophys. J. 35, 601-609. A Quasi-Laue Neutron Crystallographic Study of D-Xylose Isomerase.
Meilleur F., Myles D.A., Blakeley M.P. (2006) Eur. Biophys. J. 35, 611-620. Neutron Laue macromolecular crystallography.
Blakeley M.P., Ruiz F., Cachau R., Hazemann I., Meilleur F., Mitschler A., Ginell S., Afonine P., Ventura O. N., Cousido-Siah A, Haertlein M., Joachimiak A., Myles D. A., Podjarny A. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 105, 1844-1846. Quantum model of catalysis based on a mobile proton revealed by subatomic x-ray and neutron diffraction studies of h-aldose reductase.
Meilleur F., Weiss K.L., Myles D.A. (2009) Methods Mol. Biol. 544, 281-292. Deuterium Labeling for Neutron Structure-Function-Dynamics Analysis.
