Leader: Alexander V. Bogachev
The department was founded in 2002; since the first to the present time the departmend is ruled by Grand PhD A.V. Bogachev
Studying physiological and biochemical aspects of energy supply in various prokaryotes, non-proton coupling of oxidative phosphorylation, and a physiological role of the non-coupled respiration. Studying the programmed death of single-cell organisms. Investigation of the electron transfer and mechanisms of energy transduction in electron transport chains of bacteria and mitochondria. Developing of methods based on the circular dichroism and the magnetic circular dichroism techniques.
Non-proton energy conservation was investigated in such microorganisms as Vibrio alginolyticus, V. harveyi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Natronobacterium pharaonis. The mechanism of Na+-translocating NADH: quinone oxidoreductase from marine bacteria as well as unique properties of respiratory chain of Azotobacter vinelandii have been studied. Also it was found that catalytic cycle of cytochrome c oxidase consists of two phases: euoxidase (two-electron oxygen reduction with formation of bound peroxide); and peroxidase (two sequential one-electron stages of peroxide reduction to water). Using direct electrometry the individual phases of intraprotein charge transfer (transfer of electrons and protons) were determined and characterized at the peroxidase phase of cytochrome c oxidase. Using this method the role of different proton channels in the catalytic cycle of cytochrome c oxidase has been established. The bd-type quinol oxidase has been investigated; a model of catalytic center of the enzyme has been proposed.
Collaboration with Helsinki University (Finland) and Illinois University (Urbana-Shampaign, IL, USA). The department studies were funded by a Fogarty project, a CRDF project; a Howard Hughes grant, and several RFBR grants.
State Prize Award for young scientists (Bogachev A.V., Starkov A.A., Popov V.N. (1998); Borisov V.B., Siletsky S.A. (1999)), and, at different years, Academia Europaea Prize for Young Russian Scientists (Bogachev A.V., Siletsky S.A., Bertsova Y.V., Borisov V.B., Knorre D.A.), Award of the Biochemical Society of Russia for young scientists (Bogachev A.V., Siletsky S.A., Borisov V.B.), Award of the Russian Higher Education Academy of Sciences for young scientists (Borisov V.B.), Shuvalov Award of Lomonosov Moscow State University (Bogachev A.V., Borisov V.B.), Award for young scientists for the best research in Lomonosov Moscow State University (Borisov V.B.), Kaulen Award for young scientists for the best research in Belozersky Institute (Bertsova Y.V., Siletsky S.A., Borisov V.B.), etc..
Researchers of the Department are involved in different educational activities: lectures, practical trainings with students, and seminars at the Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics of Moscow University: seminar on “Molecular Biology of Cell” is held by F.F. Severin, seminar on “Bioenergetics” – by A.V. Bogachev and seminar on “Biochemistry” by V.B. Borisov and S.A Siletsky. The special lecture course “Special Chapters in Biochemistry” is presented by D.A. Knorre for students of Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology.
Besides researchers of the Department are involved in guiding of students and PhD students making their diploma and PhD certification research works. As a rule there are about 3-8 students and 2-4 PhD students working at the Department simultaneously.
1) Skulachev V.P., Bogachev A.V., Kasparinsky F.O. “Membrane Bioenergetics”
2010. MSU, 350 pages. In Russian.
2) Skulachev V.P., Bogachev A.V., Kasparinsky F.O. “Principles of Bioenergetics”.
2013. Springer-Verlag, 436 pages. DOI
1) A.V. Bogachev research group
Leader: Grand PhD (Biology), department head Alexander V. Bogachev
The main direction of our group is to study the NADH:quinone-oxidoreductase segment of respiratory chain of various prokaryotes. Unlike of animal mitochondria where only Н+-translocating NADH:quinone-oxidoreductase (Complex I) is operative, three different enzymes can function at this segment in bacterial respiratory chains. These are the Н+-translocating (NDH-1, homologous to Complex I), Na+-translocating (NQR) and noncoupled (NDH-2) NADH:quinone-oxidoreductases. All these enzymes are studied by our group. The main attention is given to the investigation of the coupling mechanism of Na+-translocating NADH:quinone-oxidoreductase.
2) Laboratory of Biomembrane Photochemistry
Leader: Grand PhD (Biology), laboratory head Fedor F. Severin
We study the links between mitochondria dynamics, reactive oxygen species formation, stress response, and the cell cycle. For this we use the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. We also use yeast to study the mechanism of the toxicity of polyglutamine-driven protein aggregation a cellular level. Our most recent research interest is to apply yeast to study the mechanism of action of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants and mild uncouplers.
3) Laboratory of the electron transport
Leader: PhD (Biology), laboratory head Roman A. Zinovkin
4) V.B. Borisov research group
Leader: Grand PhD (Biology), principal investigator Vitaly B. Borisov
The work is devoted to investigation of a mechanism of energy transformation in bacteria on the molecular level. Of particular interest is the structure and the mechanism of function of a bd-type terminal oxidase.
5) Laboratory of heme proteins
Leader: PhD (Physics and Mathematics), laboratory head Alexander M. Arutyunyan