Structural and Biophysical Studies of Macromolecular Interactions

Dr Jackie Wilce

Senior Lecturer

email: Jackie.Wilce@med.monash.edu.au

phone: 9902 9226

office: Building 76 G33

Please visit the Wilce Homepage

Research

My research focuses on the study of protein-peptide and protein-oligonucleotide interactions that occur in human cells to control gene expression, cell growth and cell proliferation.

The laboratory, run jointly with A/Prof Matthew Wilce, aims to better understand molecular recognition by determining the overall shapes, as well as the precise three-dimensional structures of macromolecular complexes, and by testing their affinity and specificity using biophysical techniques.  We investigate several molecular systems involved in cell inflammation and cancer cell migration. These include the study of proteins which bind to mRNA and regulate translation (in collaboration with Dr Myriam Gorospe, NIH), proteins which recognise RNA in innate immunity (in collaboration with Professor Bryan Williams, MIMR) and the development of peptides which inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration (in collaboration with Professor Krag and Dr Stephanie Pero, USA)

Recent Publications

Porter CJ and Wilce J.A. (2007) NMR analysis of G7-18NATE, a non-phosphorylated cyclic peptide inhibitor of the Grb7 adapter protein. Biopolymers. 88, 174-81.

J. P. Vivian, C. J. Porter, J. A. Wilce and M. C. J. Wilce (2007) An asymmetric structure of the Bacillus subtilis replication terminator protein in complex with DNA. Journal of Molecular Biology 370, 481-491.

J.W. Schmidberger, J.A. Wilce, J.S.H. Tsang  and Matthew C. J. Wilce (2007) Crystal Structures of the substrate free-enzyme, and reaction intermediate of the HAD Superfamily member, Haloacid Dehalogenase DehIVa from Burkholderia cepacia MBA4 J Mol Biol. 368, 706-717.

Kim HS, Kuwano Y, Zhan M, Pullmann R Jr, Mazan-Mamczarz K, Li H, Kedersha N, Anderson P, Wilce MC, Gorospe M, Wilce JA. (2007) Elucidation of a C-Rich Signature Motif in Target mRNAs of RNA-Binding Protein TIAR. Mol Cell Biol. 27, 6806-6817.

C.J. Porter, J.M. Matthews, J.P. Mackay, S.E. Pursglove, J.W. Schmidberger, P.J. Leedman, S.C. Pero, D.N. Krag, M.C.J. Wilce and J.A. Wilce (2007) Grb7 SH2 domain structure and interactions with a cyclic inhibitor of cancer cell migration and proliferation. BMC Struct Biol. 7:58.

Schmidberger JW, Wilce JA, Weightman AJ, Whisstock JC, Wilce MC. (2008) The crystal structure of DehI reveals a new alpha-haloacid dehalogenase fold and active-site mechanism. J Mol Biol. 378, 284-294.

J. Hodoniczky, C.G. Sims, W.M. Best, J.M.  Bentel and J.A. Wilce (2008) The Intracellular and Nuclear-targeted Delivery of an Anti-androgen Drug by Carrier Peptides. Biopolymers 90,  595-603.

Schmidberger JW, Wilce JA, Weightman AJ, Wilce MC. (2008) Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of DehI, a group I alpha-haloacid dehalogenase from Pseudomonas putida strain PP3. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 64, 596-598.

Bergman, YE., Del Borgo, MP., Gopalan R.D., Jalal, S., Unabia, SE., Ciampini, M., Clayton, DJ., Fletcher, JM, Mulder, RJ., Wilce, JA, Aguilar, MI. and Perlmutter, P (2009) Synthesis of stapled β3-peptides through ring-closing metathesis. (Organic Letters – accepted) (IF 5.128).

Career

I completed a B. Sc (Hons) degree at Monash University, specialising in novel peptide chemistries at honours level. In 1994 I graduated with a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the Victorian College of Pharmacy in the field of NMR structural and dynamics studies of peptides and proteins. I then took up a position at Queensland University in the Centre for Drug Design and Development with Professor David Craik, synthesising proteins using peptide and novel linkage chemistries. I then spent several years at the University of Sydney with Professor Glenn King, extending my expertise to include molecular biological and protein expression and purification techniques as well as 3D heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy and analytical ultracentrifugation. Here I began to develop an interest in structural and dynamic studies of novel cancer targets as well as the use of peptides for transporting bioactive compounds across cell walls. I also embarked on structural studies of a protein:DNA complex involved in replication fork arrest for which I was awarded an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 1999 I established my own laboratory as a joint member of Biochemistry and Chemistry at the Department at the University of Western Australia, where I extended my research into the field of structural and dynamic studies of protein-RNA interactions involved in mRNA stabilization in collaboration with partner, A/Prof Matthew Wilce. In 2001 I was awarded an ARC Fellowship to pursue molecular interactions studies, and have added surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry to the repertoire of biophysical techniques that underpins the work. In 2005 I moved with Matthew Wilce to Monash University to establish labs in the dynamic Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I was appointed as a Senior lecturer n 2007. Here I look forward to developing my research interests and forging new collaborative efforts.

Teaching

I am engaged at all levels of undergraduate and graduate teaching.  I am current convenor of the first year unit Biomedical Chemistry within the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BMS1011) and also teach within several third year Biochemistry Units (BCH3052, BCH3031 and BCH3990). 

Postgraduate Opportunities

There are currently positions vacant to study at Honours and PhD level under my supervision at Monash University for a suitably qualified candidates with a excellent background in biochemistry, molecular biology or chemistry, and an interest in studies of macromolecular interactions.

Please email me at Jackie.Wilce@med.monash.edu.au. if you are interested in studying in my laboratory.

Contact

Dr Jackie Wilce

Senior Lecturer

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Building 76

Monash University

Wellington Road

CLAYTON VIC 3800

ph: +613 9902 9226

fax: +613 9902 9500

email: Jackie.Wilce@med.monash.edu.au