James Birrell
@jamesbirrell.bsky.social
Lecturer at University of Essex. Interested in metalloenzyme structure and spectroscopy.
Reposted by James Birrell
Thank you to my amazing collaborators and the PhD student doing the work, Sam!
Please have a read, it is a really interesting paper!
Please have a read, it is a really interesting paper!
November 5, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Thank you to my amazing collaborators and the PhD student doing the work, Sam!
Please have a read, it is a really interesting paper!
Please have a read, it is a really interesting paper!
Reposted by James Birrell
An elegant engineering strategy to perform step-wise truncations of the iron-sulfur cluster domains in semi-synthetic [FeFe] hydrogenases to investigate in detail the influence on the catalytic properties of the enzyme and the inhibitors binding!
November 5, 2025 at 6:04 PM
An elegant engineering strategy to perform step-wise truncations of the iron-sulfur cluster domains in semi-synthetic [FeFe] hydrogenases to investigate in detail the influence on the catalytic properties of the enzyme and the inhibitors binding!
Reposted by James Birrell
I couldn't be happier to see this nice piece of work out! It is like my baby project, which I dedicated a lot of time and effort!
lnkd.in/eKpyxrM5http...
lnkd.in/eKpyxrM5http...
Engineering the Electron Relay in [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Enhances Electrocatalytic H2 Evolution
H2 is an ideal energy vector, but catalysts for its clean production from water are inefficient or expensive. [FeFe]-hydrogenases are the most active H2-converting catalysts in nature, using a unique ...
pubs.acs.org
November 5, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I couldn't be happier to see this nice piece of work out! It is like my baby project, which I dedicated a lot of time and effort!
lnkd.in/eKpyxrM5http...
lnkd.in/eKpyxrM5http...
Reposted by James Birrell
Congratulations @rmlab.bsky.social ! pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Engineering the Electron Relay in [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Enhances Electrocatalytic H2 Evolution
H2 is an ideal energy vector, but catalysts for its clean production from water are inefficient or expensive. [FeFe]-hydrogenases are the most active H2-converting catalysts in nature, using a unique ...
pubs.acs.org
November 6, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Congratulations @rmlab.bsky.social ! pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by James Birrell
Vincent, Morra, and Rodríguez-Maciá demonstrate that truncating the electron transfer domain of [FeFe]-hydrogenase does *not* diminish their catalytic efficiency (via ACS Catalysis).
doi.org/10.1021/acsc...
doi.org/10.1021/acsc...
Engineering the Electron Relay in [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Enhances Electrocatalytic H2 Evolution
H2 is an ideal energy vector, but catalysts for its clean production from water are inefficient or expensive. [FeFe]-hydrogenases are the most active H2-converting catalysts in nature, using a unique ...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Vincent, Morra, and Rodríguez-Maciá demonstrate that truncating the electron transfer domain of [FeFe]-hydrogenase does *not* diminish their catalytic efficiency (via ACS Catalysis).
doi.org/10.1021/acsc...
doi.org/10.1021/acsc...
Reposted by James Birrell
Our first foray into the P450 world. Thanks to @bellp450enzyme.bsky.social for sharpening our GC-MS skill set @jamesbirrell.bsky.social for the microwaves😃 and Lewis for persevering 🧪
The cytochrome P450 decarboxylase from Staphylococcus aureus can produce a diene from a C18 monounsaturated fatty acid: A spectroscopic, structural and kinetic characterisation
Certain members of the bacterial cytochrome P450 152 family (CYP152) are peroxygenases that catalyse the decarboxylation of fatty acids into terminal …
www.sciencedirect.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Our first foray into the P450 world. Thanks to @bellp450enzyme.bsky.social for sharpening our GC-MS skill set @jamesbirrell.bsky.social for the microwaves😃 and Lewis for persevering 🧪
Reposted by James Birrell
1️⃣ 𝗠𝗜𝗕𝗧𝗣-𝗕𝗕𝗦𝗥𝗖 - 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...
2️⃣ 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔-𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗖 - 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
Any questions or more information? Please email me, happy to help!
#metalloenzymes #biohybridcatalysts #sustainablechemistry #greenchemistry
warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...
2️⃣ 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔-𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗖 - 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
Any questions or more information? Please email me, happy to help!
#metalloenzymes #biohybridcatalysts #sustainablechemistry #greenchemistry
October 21, 2025 at 10:44 PM
1️⃣ 𝗠𝗜𝗕𝗧𝗣-𝗕𝗕𝗦𝗥𝗖 - 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...
2️⃣ 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔-𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗖 - 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
Any questions or more information? Please email me, happy to help!
#metalloenzymes #biohybridcatalysts #sustainablechemistry #greenchemistry
warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...
2️⃣ 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔-𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗖 - 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
centa.ac.uk/studentship/...
Any questions or more information? Please email me, happy to help!
#metalloenzymes #biohybridcatalysts #sustainablechemistry #greenchemistry
Reposted by James Birrell
Are you excited about #metalloenzymes and #biohybridcatalysts? Are you interested in investigating new approaches for #sustainable and #greenchemistry?
If so, I have 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗵𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to join my group in 📅 Sept 2026 under the schemes.
👇+Info👇
If so, I have 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗵𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to join my group in 📅 Sept 2026 under the schemes.
👇+Info👇
October 21, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Are you excited about #metalloenzymes and #biohybridcatalysts? Are you interested in investigating new approaches for #sustainable and #greenchemistry?
If so, I have 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗵𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to join my group in 📅 Sept 2026 under the schemes.
👇+Info👇
If so, I have 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝗵𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to join my group in 📅 Sept 2026 under the schemes.
👇+Info👇
Reposted by James Birrell
We have a 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝗣𝗗𝗥𝗔) position for a project in collaboration with my colleagues Phil Ash & James Pickering, via the AMBER Postdoctoral Programme funded by MSCActions.
Come and join us at @uniofleicester!
👇+info👇
Come and join us at @uniofleicester!
👇+info👇
October 21, 2025 at 11:19 PM
We have a 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝗣𝗗𝗥𝗔) position for a project in collaboration with my colleagues Phil Ash & James Pickering, via the AMBER Postdoctoral Programme funded by MSCActions.
Come and join us at @uniofleicester!
👇+info👇
Come and join us at @uniofleicester!
👇+info👇
Reposted by James Birrell
Information about the project here: le.ac.uk/research/ins...
Information about the position and how to apply:
jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/11...
Deadline 7 Dec 2025!
For any enquires please send an email!
Information about the position and how to apply:
jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/11...
Deadline 7 Dec 2025!
For any enquires please send an email!
Research opportunities | Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology | University of Leicester
Postdoc opportunities at the Leicester Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology
le.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Information about the project here: le.ac.uk/research/ins...
Information about the position and how to apply:
jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/11...
Deadline 7 Dec 2025!
For any enquires please send an email!
Information about the position and how to apply:
jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/11...
Deadline 7 Dec 2025!
For any enquires please send an email!
Reposted by James Birrell
Delightful combination of spectroscopies (electronic, microwave) and protein crystallography in @jarworrall.bsky.social's new paper on cytochrome P450 decarboxylase from Staphylococcus aureus 🤩
doi.org/10.1016/j.ji...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ji...
October 21, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Delightful combination of spectroscopies (electronic, microwave) and protein crystallography in @jarworrall.bsky.social's new paper on cytochrome P450 decarboxylase from Staphylococcus aureus 🤩
doi.org/10.1016/j.ji...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ji...
Reposted by James Birrell
We are delighted to confirm that the and Other Redox Metalloenzymes will take place from 26-30 July 2026 at the University of Leicester, UK.
Details of the conference, including regularly updated confirmed speakers, are available on our website (link in bio).
Details of the conference, including regularly updated confirmed speakers, are available on our website (link in bio).
July 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
We are delighted to confirm that the and Other Redox Metalloenzymes will take place from 26-30 July 2026 at the University of Leicester, UK.
Details of the conference, including regularly updated confirmed speakers, are available on our website (link in bio).
Details of the conference, including regularly updated confirmed speakers, are available on our website (link in bio).
Reposted by James Birrell
Congrats @rmlab.bsky.social and co-authors on "Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy as a tool to reveal the vibrational and molecular structure of [FeFe] hydrogenases" in Chemical Science pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy as a tool to reveal the vibrational and molecular structure of [FeFe] hydrogenases
[FeFe] hydrogenases are Nature's most efficient catalysts for the cleavage and evolution of molecular hydrogen. Despite decades of research, key aspects of the catalytic cycle and the underlying geome...
pubs.rsc.org
May 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Congrats @rmlab.bsky.social and co-authors on "Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy as a tool to reveal the vibrational and molecular structure of [FeFe] hydrogenases" in Chemical Science pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Reposted by James Birrell
Join us next Tuesday May 27 for a Desktop Seminar on the Chemistry of Inorganic Clusters! Featuring talks and live Q&A from Stephen Ragsdale (University of Michigan) and Patrick Holland (Yale University), this is one you don't want to miss!
Register and find more details rsc.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register and find more details rsc.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
May 20, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Join us next Tuesday May 27 for a Desktop Seminar on the Chemistry of Inorganic Clusters! Featuring talks and live Q&A from Stephen Ragsdale (University of Michigan) and Patrick Holland (Yale University), this is one you don't want to miss!
Register and find more details rsc.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register and find more details rsc.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by James Birrell
We probed both directions, and it really seems to be the F-domain that modulates the on/off dynamics. We didn't investigate DdH tho...
May 22, 2025 at 8:33 AM
We probed both directions, and it really seems to be the F-domain that modulates the on/off dynamics. We didn't investigate DdH tho...
Reposted by James Birrell
We have positions for pCNF SDM of CpI in a recent grant application... Very encouraging to see Kylie's data!
May 22, 2025 at 8:34 AM
We have positions for pCNF SDM of CpI in a recent grant application... Very encouraging to see Kylie's data!
Reposted by James Birrell
We believe that these protein-protein-interactions propell fast & repeated one-electron-transfer reactions, driving multi-electron redox catalysis with a one-electron mediator. In hydrogenase, and other oxidoreductases as well.
Find all the details in the paper:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Find all the details in the paper:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
May 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
We believe that these protein-protein-interactions propell fast & repeated one-electron-transfer reactions, driving multi-electron redox catalysis with a one-electron mediator. In hydrogenase, and other oxidoreductases as well.
Find all the details in the paper:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Find all the details in the paper:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Reposted by James Birrell
Uli's brilliant microscale thermophoresis experiments show that *only* reduced ferredoxin binds to hydrogenase, which facilitates assigning the secondary structural changes to redox changes and a shift from an "attractive" to a "repulsive" configuration.
May 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Uli's brilliant microscale thermophoresis experiments show that *only* reduced ferredoxin binds to hydrogenase, which facilitates assigning the secondary structural changes to redox changes and a shift from an "attractive" to a "repulsive" configuration.
Reposted by James Birrell
Infrared difference spectra reveal that the reduction of ferredoxin is accompanied with larger secondary structural changes - clearly associated with the "F-domain" of [FeFe]-hydrogenase, as reference experiments with "minimal hydrogenase" CrHydA1 lack this spectral feature.
A surprise‼️
A surprise‼️
May 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Infrared difference spectra reveal that the reduction of ferredoxin is accompanied with larger secondary structural changes - clearly associated with the "F-domain" of [FeFe]-hydrogenase, as reference experiments with "minimal hydrogenase" CrHydA1 lack this spectral feature.
A surprise‼️
A surprise‼️
Reposted by James Birrell
Interestingly, in the ferredoxin from C. pasteurianum, reduction alone does *not* affect the nitrile frequency. Only in complex with [FeFe]-hydrogenase CpI, redox changes affect the artificial amino acid...
May 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Interestingly, in the ferredoxin from C. pasteurianum, reduction alone does *not* affect the nitrile frequency. Only in complex with [FeFe]-hydrogenase CpI, redox changes affect the artificial amino acid...
Reposted by James Birrell
Ross @milton-group.bsky.social came up with a very similar idea: how about introducing cyanophenylalanine to a (bacterial) ferredoxin that binds two [4Fe-4S] clusters?
One might learn where the electron resides as most ferredoxins are considered one-electron redox mediators... 🧵
One might learn where the electron resides as most ferredoxins are considered one-electron redox mediators... 🧵
First off, let me highlight recent work from Vincent et al.: the authors modified plant ferredoxin with cyanophenylalanine and succeeded in measuring FeS-redox-dependent nitrile band shifts in the IR spectra.
May 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Ross @milton-group.bsky.social came up with a very similar idea: how about introducing cyanophenylalanine to a (bacterial) ferredoxin that binds two [4Fe-4S] clusters?
One might learn where the electron resides as most ferredoxins are considered one-electron redox mediators... 🧵
One might learn where the electron resides as most ferredoxins are considered one-electron redox mediators... 🧵
Reposted by James Birrell
"redox-dependent nitrile band shifts" 🤩
May 21, 2025 at 3:26 PM
"redox-dependent nitrile band shifts" 🤩
Reposted by James Birrell
Lovely stuff Zehui et al.!
May 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Lovely stuff Zehui et al.!
Reposted by James Birrell
Applying this genetic approach to [FeFe]-hydrogenase, the nitrile band allows probing the FeS cluster redox states AND the H-cluster. This will be a powerful tool in other FeS proteins as well!
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
May 21, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Applying this genetic approach to [FeFe]-hydrogenase, the nitrile band allows probing the FeS cluster redox states AND the H-cluster. This will be a powerful tool in other FeS proteins as well!
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
Reposted by James Birrell
First off, let me highlight recent work from Vincent et al.: the authors modified plant ferredoxin with cyanophenylalanine and succeeded in measuring FeS-redox-dependent nitrile band shifts in the IR spectra.
May 21, 2025 at 1:59 PM
First off, let me highlight recent work from Vincent et al.: the authors modified plant ferredoxin with cyanophenylalanine and succeeded in measuring FeS-redox-dependent nitrile band shifts in the IR spectra.