The University of Sheffield
Department of Chemistry

Picture of Jane GrasbyDr. Jane A. Grasby

Reader in Biological Chemistry

Room: C71

Tel: +44-(0)114-22-29478

Fax: +44-(0)114-22-29436

email:

 


 

General Research Teaching

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Grasby obtained her BSc in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham in 1988. After obtaining her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Southampton in 1992, she became a Research Fellow at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge. In 1994 she was appointed to a Lectureship at the University of Sheffield, where she was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1999 and Reader in 2002.

Research Keywords

Catalysis, protein and nucleic structure and function, nucleic acid chemistry, molecular recognition, enzymology

Teaching Keywords

Organic Chemistry; Biological Chemistry

Selected Publications:

  • Neutralizing Mutations of Carboxylates That Bind Metal 2 in T5 Flap Endonuclease Result in an Enzyme That Still Requires Two Metal Ions, Christopher G. Tomlinson, Karl Syson, Blanka Sengerova, John M. Atack, Jon R. Sayers, Linda Swanson, John A. Tainer, Nicholas H. Williams and Jane A. Grasby, J. Biol. Chem. 2011, 286, 30878-30887.
  • Human Flap Endonuclease Structures, DNA Double-Base Flipping, and a Unified Understanding of the FEN1 Superfamily, S. E. Tsutakawa, S. Classen, B. R. Chapados, A. S. Arvai, L. D. Finger, G. Guenther, C. G. Tomlinson, P. Thompson, A. H. Sarker, B. H. Shen, P. K. Cooper, J. A. Grasby and J. A. Tainer, Cell 2011, 145, 198-211.
  • Bronsted Analysis and Rate-Limiting Steps for the T5 Flap Endonuclease Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Exonucleolytic Substrates, B. Sengerova, C. Tomlinson, J. M. Atack, R. Williams, J. R. Sayers, N. H. Williams and J. A. Grasby, Biochemistry-Us 2010, 49, 8085-8093.
  • Substrate recognition and catalysis by flap endonucleases and related enzymes, C. G. Tomlinson, J. M. Atack, B. Chapados, J. A. Tainer and J. A. Grasby, Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2010, 38, 433-437.
  • The 3 '-Flap Pocket of Human Flap Endonuclease 1 Is Critical for Substrate Binding and Catalysis, L. D. Finger, M. S. Blanchard, C. A. Theimer, B. Sengerova, P. Singh, V. Chavez, F. Liu, J. A. Grasby and B. H. Shen, J. Biol. Chem. 2009, 284, 22184-22194.
  • Three metal ions participate in the reaction catalyzed by T5 flap endonuclease, K. Syson, C. Tomlinson, B. R. Chapados, J. R. Sayers, J. A. Tainer, N. H. Williams and J. A. Grasby, J Biol Chem 2008, 283, 28741-28746. 

Research Interests

The interactions and reactions of nucleic acids are fundamental to all life processes. Our research seeks to gain understanding of these processes by exploiting the ability to synthesise chemically and modify nucleic acid structures. These studies include the interaction of proteins with both RNA and DNA and the interaction of nucleic acids with one another. In particular we are interested in the catalysis of reactions of nucleic acids by proteins and RNA enzymes (ribozymes). Currently we are undertaking both structural and mechanistic studies of an enzyme that catalyses the structure specific hydrolysis of nucleic acids (flap endonuclease), a ribozyme which specifically cleaves RNA and an enzyme that specifically catalyses the hydrolysis of DNA/RNA hybrid (RNase HII). Flap endonucleases and RNase HII are critical enzymes in DNA replication and repair.

Teaching Section

Organic Chemistry

Undergraduate Courses Taught

  • CHM1002.2.O: "Organic Chemistry 3"
    This segment introduces methods for the synthesis of carboxylic acid derivatives and discusses their reactions.
  • CHM3003.5: "Molecular Biology for chemists"
    The course introduces the basic principles of molecular biology.

Tutorial & Workshop Support

  • First Year General Tutorials.
  • Second Year Organic Chemistry Tutorials.
  • Third Year Workshops.
  • Third Year Literature Review.

Laboratory Teaching

  • First Year Lab demonstrating.
  • Fourth Year Research Project.