Our major research programme concerns the folding, stability and activity of proteins. We apply a broad multi-disciplinary approach that combines methods and ideas of molecular biology and physical-organic chemistry. We use techniques including protein engineering, DNA cloning, sequencing and mutagenesis, cell culture, gene and peptide synthesis, spectroscopy, rapid reaction techniques, multi-dimensional NMR (we have a 500, 600, 700 and an 800 MHz spectrometers) and x-ray protein crystallography.

Current major projects include: protein folding, misfolding and disease; drug discovery; and structure-activity relationships of proteins involved in cancer and disease.

Although now emeritus, I am still fully active in research with long term funding, including an MRC Programme Grant.

Publications

Reversible dissociation of dimeric tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase by mutagenesis at the subunit interface
DH Jones, AJ McMillan, AR Fersht, G Winter
Biochemistry
(2002)
24
Evidence for the double-sieve editing mechanism in protein synthesis. Steric exclusion of isoleucine by valyl-tRNA synthetases.
AR Fersht, C Dingwall
Biochemistry
(2002)
18
Probing histidine-substrate interactions in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase using asparagine and glutamine replacements
DM Lowe, AR Fersht, AJ Wilkinson, P Carter, G Winter
Biochemistry
(2002)
24
Direct observation of complexes of ssb and recA proteins with a fluorescent single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid derivative.
SM Cotterill, AR Fersht
Biochemistry
(2002)
22
Site-directed mutagenesis as a probe of enzyme structure and catalysis: tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase cysteine-35 to glycine-35 mutation.
AJ Wilkinson, AR Fersht, DM Blow, G Winter
Biochemistry
(2002)
22
recA Filaments in solution
SM Cotterill, AR Fersht
Biochemistry
(2002)
22
Investigation of binding between recA protein and single-stranded polynucleotides with the aid of a fluorescent deoxyribonucleic acid derivative
MS Silver, AR Fersht
Biochemistry
(2002)
22
Direct observation of complexes formed between recA protein and a fluorescent single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid derivative
MS Silver, AR Fersht
Biochemistry
(2002)
21
recA protein from Escherichia coli. A very rapid and simple purification procedure: binding of adenosine 5'-triphosphate and adenosine 5'-diphosphate by the homogeneous protein
SM Cotterill, AC Satterthwait, AR Fersht
Biochemistry
(2002)
21
Enzyme hyperspecificity. Rejection of threonine by the valyl-tRNA synthetase by misacylation and hydrolytic editing.
AR Fersht, MM Kaethner
Biochemistry
(2002)
15