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
Corsini 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 (2022). Molecular and cellular insight into Escherichia coli SslE and its role during biofilm maturation. Access Microbiology, Microbiology Society vol. 4 (5) 18-05-2022
Corsini 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 (2022). Molecular and cellular insight into Escherichia coli SslE and its role during biofilm maturation. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Springer Nature vol. 8 (1) 25-02-2022
2020
Darbari VC, Ciccone J, Patel JS, Islam B, Agarwal PK and Haider S (2020). Electrostatic Switching Controls Channel Dynamics of the Sensor Protein VirB10 in A. tumefaciens Type IV Secretion System. ACS Omega, American Chemical Society 04-02-2020
Fenn K, Wong CT and Darbari VC (2020). Mycobacterium tuberculosis Uses Mce Proteins to Interfere With Host Cell Signaling. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, Frontiers Media vol. 6 08-01-2020
2017
Glyde R, Fuzhou Y, DARBARI VC, Zhang N, Buck M and Zhang X (2017). Structures of RNA Polymerase Closed and Intermediate Complexes Reveal Mechanisms of DNA Opening and Transcription Initiation. Molecular Cell, Elsevier 01-06-2017
2016
Zhang N, Darbari VC, Glyde R, Zhang X and Buck M (2016). The bacterial enhancer-dependent RNA polymerase. Biochem J, Biochemical Society vol. 473 (21), 3741-3753. 27-10-2016
Sawicka M, Wanrooij PH, Darbari VC, Tannous E, Hailemariam S, Bose D, Makarova AV, Burgers PM and Zhang X (2016). The dimeric architecture of checkpoint Mec1ATR and Tel1ATM reveal a common structural organization. Journal of Biological Chemistry, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 28-04-2016
2015
Yang Y, Darbari VC, Zhang N, Lu D, Glyde R, Wang Y-P, Winkelman JT, Gourse RL, Murakami KS, Buck M and others (2015). Structures of the RNA polymerase-σ54 reveal new and conserved regulatory strategies. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science vol. 349, 882-885. 01-01-2015
Chandran Darbari V and Waksman G (2015). Structural biology of bacterial type IV secretion systems. 01-01-2015
2014
Darbari VC, Lawton E, Lu D, Burrows PC, Wiesler S, Joly N, Zhang N, Zhang X and Buck M (2014). Molecular basis of nucleotide-dependent substrate engagement and remodeling by an AAA+ activator. Nucleic Acids Research, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 42 (14), 9249-9261. 25-07-2014
2013
Rivera-Calzada A, Fronzes R, Savva CG, Chandran V, Lian PW, Laeremans T, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Remaut H, Waksman G and others (2013). Structure of a bacterial type IV secretion core complex at subnanometre resolution. The EMBO journal, EMBO Press vol. 32, 1195-1204. 01-01-2013
Chandran V (2013). Type IV secretion machinery: molecular architecture and function. Biochemical Society Transactions, Portland Press Limited vol. 41, 17-28. 01-01-2013
2011
Banta LM, Kerr JE, Cascales E, Giuliano ME, Bailey ME, McKay C, Chandran V, Waksman G and Christie PJ (2011). An Agrobacterium VirB10 mutation conferring a type IV secretion system gating defect. Journal of bacteriology, Am Soc Microbiol vol. 193, 2566-2574. 01-01-2011
Nurmohamed S, Vincent HA, Titman CM, Chandran V, Pears MR, Du D, Griffin JL, Callaghan AJ and Luisi BF (2011). Polynucleotide phosphorylase activity may be modulated by metabolites in Escherichia coli. Journal of Biological Chemistry, ASBMB vol. 286, 14315-14323. 01-01-2011
2010
Rêgo AT, Chandran V and Waksman G (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 biogenesis. Biochemical Journal, Portland Press Limited vol. 425, 475-488. 01-01-2010
2009
Chandran V, Fronzes R, Duquerroy S, Cronin N, Navaza J and Waksman G (2009). Structure of the outer membrane complex of a type IV secretion system. Nature, Nature Publishing Group vol. 462, 1011-1015. 01-01-2009
Meng G, Fronzes R, Chandran V, Remaut H and Waksman G (2009). Protein oligomerization in the bacterial outer membrane (Review). Molecular membrane biology, Taylor & Francis vol. 26, 136-145. 01-01-2009
Durand E, Verger D, Rêgo AT, Chandran V, Meng G, Fronzes R and Waksman G (2009). Structural biology of bacterial secretion systems in Gram-negative pathogens-potential for new drug targets. Infectious Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Infectious Disorders), Bentham Science Publishers vol. 9, 518-547. 01-01-2009
2007
Chandran V, Poljak L, Vanzo NF, Leroy A, Miguel RNN, Fernandez-Recio J, Parkinson J, Burns C, Carpousis AJ and Luisi BF (2007). Recognition and cooperation between the ATP-dependent RNA helicase RhlB and ribonuclease RNase E. Journal of molecular biology, Elsevier vol. 367, 113-132. 01-01-2007
2006
Marcaida MJ, DePristo MA, Chandran V, Carpousis AJ and Luisi BF (2006). The RNA degradosome: life in the fast lane of adaptive molecular evolution. Trends in biochemical sciences, Elsevier vol. 31, 359-365. 01-01-2006
Chandran V and Luisi BF (2006). Recognition of enolase in the Escherichia coli RNA degradosome. Journal of molecular biology, Elsevier vol. 358, 8-15. 01-01-2006
Chandran V, Stollar EJ, Lindorff-Larsen K, Harper JF, Chazin WJ, Dobson CM, Luisi BF and Christodoulou J (2006). Structure of the regulatory apparatus of a calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK): a novel mode of calmodulin-target recognition. Journal of molecular biology, Elsevier vol. 357, 400-410. 01-01-2006
Chandran V (2006). Structural and functional characterisation of the protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions in the RNA degradosome. 01-01-2006
2004
Callaghan AJ, Aurikko JP, Ilag LL, Grossmann JG, Chandran V, Kühnel K, Poljak L, Carpousis AJ, Robinson CV, Symmons MF and others (2004). Studies of the RNA degradosome-organizing domain of the Escherichia coli ribonuclease RNase E. Journal of molecular biology, Elsevier vol. 340, 965-979. 01-01-2004
Dasgupta S, Chandran V, Bhinge A, Sewlikar S, Nimbkar A and Datta D (2004). Role of L-lysine HCl in adoptive immune therapy towards development of suitable tuberculosis vaccination. Indian journal of experimental biology, PUBLICATIONS & INFORMATION DIRECTORATE, CSIR vol. 42, 758-765. 01-01-2004
Chandran V, Callaghan A, Long J, Zaid O, Aurikka J, Ilag L, Robinson C, Carpousis AJ, Symmons M and Luisi BF (2004). Protein-protein interactions in the RNA degradosome. 01-01-2004
2003
Calladine CR, Pratap V, Chandran V, Mizuguchi K and Luisi BF (2003). Cylindrical channels from concave helices. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science vol. 299, 661-662. 01-01-2003
Dasgupta S, Bhinge A, Chandran V, Sewlikar S, Nimbkar A and Datta D (2003). Role of L-lysine HCl in immunopotentiation towards development of suitable tuberculosis vaccination. Vaccine, Elsevier vol. 21, 4722-4727. 01-01-2003
2001
Datta D, Bhinge A and Chandran V (2001). Lysine: Is it worth more? Cytotechnology, Springer vol. 36, 3-32. 01-01-2001
2000
Datta D, Kundu PK, Biswas S, Dasgupta S, Bhinge A and Chandran V (2000). Effect of cationic amino acid, l-lysine and its polymers on the growth and secretion of hybridoma cell line OKT-3. 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 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 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 Darbari
£245,268 MRC Medical Research Council (01-03-2022 - 28-02-2025)