Dr Vidya Chandran Darbari
Senior Lecturer in Structural Biology
Head of The Centre for Molecular Cell Biology
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Structural Biology, Bacterial pathogenesis, Membrane proteins, X-ray Crystallography, Cryo-EM
Interests
Darbari group is focussed on the structural biology of bacterial membrane-spanning molecular machines (secretion systems, mammalian cell entry lipid transporters) and bacterial effectors to decipher their molecular mechanism required for survival in hostile environments and pathogenesis. Bacterial membranes are the first line of defence and crucial for stress response. Mammalian Cell entry (MCE) proteins are ubiquitous in diderm bacteria for maintaining cell wall homeostasis and bacterial survival in harsh environments. They are however not essential in many bacteria during normal growth. These substrate-binding proteins assemble to form lipid transporters in various double membranes of distinct lipid compositions with presumably distinct substrate specificity and function. The mechanism for substrate specificity is still unclear and how lipid specificity affects membrane integrity or membrane function or virulence is still unknown. Our group is interested in delineating the role of lipid specificity and binding to membrane related functions and specifically the unity and diversity of function across diderm bacteria. Our group employs various structural biology (X-ray Crystallography, TEM), biochemical, biophysical and cell biology techniques for structural and functional characterisation.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology2022
Molecular and cellular insight into Escherichia coli SslE and its role during biofilm maturationCorsini P, Wang S, Rehman S, Fenn K, Sagar A, Sirovica S, Cleaver L, Edwards-Gayle C, Mastroianni G, Dorgan B, Sewell L, Lynham S, Iuga D, Franks T, Jarvis J, Carpenter G, Curtis M, Bernado P, Darbari V and Garnett J
Access Microbiology, Microbiology Society vol. 4 (5)
18-05-2022
Molecular and cellular insight into Escherichia coli SslE and its role during biofilm maturationCorsini PM, Wang S, Rehman S, Fenn K, Sagar A, Sirovica S, Cleaver L, Edwards-Gayle CJC, Mastroianni G, Dorgan B, Sewell LM, Lynham S, Iuga D, Franks WT, Jarvis J, Carpenter GH, Curtis MA, Bernadó P, Darbari VC and Garnett JA
Npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Springer Nature vol. 8 (1)
25-02-2022
2020
Electrostatic Switching Controls Channel Dynamics of the Sensor Protein VirB10 in A. tumefaciens Type IV Secretion SystemDarbari VC, Ciccone J, Patel JS, Islam B, Agarwal PK and Haider S
Acs Omega, American Chemical Society
04-02-2020
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Uses Mce Proteins to Interfere With Host Cell SignalingFenn K, Wong CT and Darbari VC
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, Frontiers Media vol. 6
08-01-2020
2017
Structures of RNA Polymerase Closed and Intermediate Complexes Reveal Mechanisms of DNA Opening and Transcription InitiationGlyde R, Fuzhou Y, DARBARI VC, Zhang N, Buck M and Zhang X
Molecular Cell, Elsevier
01-06-2017
2016
The bacterial enhancer-dependent RNA polymerase.Zhang N, Darbari VC, Glyde R, Zhang X and Buck M
Biochem J, Biochemical Society vol. 473 (21), 3741-3753.
27-10-2016
The dimeric architecture of checkpoint Mec1ATR and Tel1ATM reveal a common structural organizationSawicka M, Wanrooij PH, Darbari VC, Tannous E, Hailemariam S, Bose D, Makarova AV, Burgers PM and Zhang X
Journal of Biological Chemistry, American Society For Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
28-04-2016
2015
Structures of the RNA polymerase-σ54 reveal new and conserved regulatory strategiesYang Y, Darbari VC, Zhang N, Lu D, Glyde R, Wang Y-P, Winkelman JT, Gourse RL, Murakami KS, Buck M and others
Science, American Association For The Advancement of Science vol. 349, 882-885.
01-01-2015
Structural biology of bacterial type IV secretion systemsChandran Darbari V and Waksman G
01-01-2015
2014
Molecular basis of nucleotide-dependent substrate engagement and remodeling by an AAA+ activatorDarbari VC, Lawton E, Lu D, Burrows PC, Wiesler S, Joly N, Zhang N, Zhang X and Buck M
Nucleic Acids Research, Oxford University Press (Oup) vol. 42 (14), 9249-9261.
25-07-2014
2013
Structure of a bacterial type IV secretion core complex at subnanometre resolutionRivera-Calzada A, Fronzes R, Savva CG, Chandran V, Lian PW, Laeremans T, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Remaut H, Waksman G and others
The Embo Journal, Embo Press vol. 32, 1195-1204.
01-01-2013
Type IV secretion machinery: molecular architecture and functionChandran V
Biochemical Society Transactions, Portland Press Limited vol. 41, 17-28.
01-01-2013
2011
An Agrobacterium VirB10 mutation conferring a type IV secretion system gating defectBanta LM, Kerr JE, Cascales E, Giuliano ME, Bailey ME, McKay C, Chandran V, Waksman G and Christie PJ
Journal of Bacteriology, Am Soc Microbiol vol. 193, 2566-2574.
01-01-2011
Polynucleotide phosphorylase activity may be modulated by metabolites in Escherichia coliNurmohamed S, Vincent HA, Titman CM, Chandran V, Pears MR, Du D, Griffin JL, Callaghan AJ and Luisi BF
Journal of Biological Chemistry, Asbmb vol. 286, 14315-14323.
01-01-2011
2010
Two-step and one-step secretion mechanisms in Gram-negative bacteria: contrasting the type IV secretion system and the chaperone-usher pathway of pilus biogenesisRêgo AT, Chandran V and Waksman G
Biochemical Journal, Portland Press Limited vol. 425, 475-488.
01-01-2010
2009
Structure of the outer membrane complex of a type IV secretion systemChandran V, Fronzes R, Duquerroy S, Cronin N, Navaza J and Waksman G
Nature, Nature Publishing Group vol. 462, 1011-1015.
01-01-2009
Protein oligomerization in the bacterial outer membrane (Review)Meng G, Fronzes R, Chandran V, Remaut H and Waksman G
Molecular Membrane Biology, Taylor & Francis vol. 26, 136-145.
01-01-2009
Structural biology of bacterial secretion systems in Gram-negative pathogens-potential for new drug targetsDurand E, Verger D, Rêgo AT, Chandran V, Meng G, Fronzes R and Waksman G
Infectious Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Infectious Disorders), Bentham Science Publishers vol. 9, 518-547.
01-01-2009
2007
Recognition and cooperation between the ATP-dependent RNA helicase RhlB and ribonuclease RNase EChandran V, Poljak L, Vanzo NF, Leroy A, Miguel RNN, Fernandez-Recio J, Parkinson J, Burns C, Carpousis AJ and Luisi BF
Journal of Molecular Biology, Elsevier vol. 367, 113-132.
01-01-2007
2006
The RNA degradosome: life in the fast lane of adaptive molecular evolutionMarcaida MJ, DePristo MA, Chandran V, Carpousis AJ and Luisi BF
Trends in Biochemical Sciences, Elsevier vol. 31, 359-365.
01-01-2006
Recognition of enolase in the Escherichia coli RNA degradosomeChandran V and Luisi BF
Journal of Molecular Biology, Elsevier vol. 358, 8-15.
01-01-2006
Structure of the regulatory apparatus of a calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK): a novel mode of calmodulin-target recognitionChandran V, Stollar EJ, Lindorff-Larsen K, Harper JF, Chazin WJ, Dobson CM, Luisi BF and Christodoulou J
Journal of Molecular Biology, Elsevier vol. 357, 400-410.
01-01-2006
Structural and functional characterisation of the protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions in the RNA degradosomeChandran V
01-01-2006
2004
Studies of the RNA degradosome-organizing domain of the Escherichia coli ribonuclease RNase ECallaghan AJ, Aurikko JP, Ilag LL, Grossmann JG, Chandran V, Kühnel K, Poljak L, Carpousis AJ, Robinson CV, Symmons MF and others
Journal of Molecular Biology, Elsevier vol. 340, 965-979.
01-01-2004
Role of L-lysine HCl in adoptive immune therapy towards development of suitable tuberculosis vaccinationDasgupta S, Chandran V, Bhinge A, Sewlikar S, Nimbkar A and Datta D
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, Publications & Information Directorate, Csir vol. 42, 758-765.
01-01-2004
Protein-protein interactions in the RNA degradosomeChandran V, Callaghan A, Long J, Zaid O, Aurikka J, Ilag L, Robinson C, Carpousis AJ, Symmons M and Luisi BF
PROTEIN SCIENCE COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB PRESS, PUBLICATIONS DEPT 500 SUNNYSIDE BLVD, WOODBURY, NY 11797-2924 USA. vol. 13, 144-144.
01-01-2004
2003
Cylindrical channels from concave helicesCalladine CR, Pratap V, Chandran V, Mizuguchi K and Luisi BF
Science, American Association For The Advancement of Science vol. 299, 661-662.
01-01-2003
Role of L-lysine HCl in immunopotentiation towards development of suitable tuberculosis vaccinationDasgupta S, Bhinge A, Chandran V, Sewlikar S, Nimbkar A and Datta D
Vaccine, Elsevier vol. 21, 4722-4727.
01-01-2003
2001
Lysine: Is it worth more?Datta D, Bhinge A and Chandran V
Cytotechnology, Springer vol. 36, 3-32.
01-01-2001
2000
Effect of cationic amino acid, l-lysine and its polymers on the growth and secretion of hybridoma cell line OKT-3Datta D, Kundu PK, Biswas S, Dasgupta S, Bhinge A and Chandran V
Hybridoma, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. vol. 19, 339-346.
01-01-2000
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell BiologyAmyloids and Oligomers. Curvilinear and annular structures and their interation with exosomes and whole cellsJohn Viles, Ivan Kadurin, Vladimir Volkov and Vidya Chandran Darbari
£485,209 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-12-2023 - 30-11-2026
Structure of the assembly platform of the type II secretion systemRichard Pickersgill, Vidya Chandran Darbari and Arianna Fornili
£579,168 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
28-10-2022 - 27-10-2025
Structural Studies into E. coli SslE and its role in Diarrhoeal DiseasesVidya Chandran Darbari
£245,268 MRC Medical Research Council
01-03-2022 - 28-02-2025