Natalia Jura, PhD

Professor
Cardiovascular Research Institute
Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Primary Thematic Area
Secondary Thematic Area
Research Summary
Molecular basis for Receptor Tyrosine Kinase signaling across the plasma membrane
+1 415 514-1133

The main interest of our laboratory is to understand molecular principles of signal transduction events under physiological conditions and in human disease. We investigate them at the level of enzymatic function and molecular structure of signaling proteins. Our current focus is on understanding how membrane-associated kinases, such as receptor tyrosine kinases, assemble into functional complexes and interface with the plasma membrane. We also investigate alternative non-catalytic roles of kinase scaffolds and seek to identify small molecule inhibitors that target these poorly understood kinase functions in human diseases.

Main Areas of Interest:
Structure-function studies of receptor tyrosine kinase activation mechanism:
We use structural biology approaches, including X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy (cryo-EM), to gain high resolution insights into ligand-dependent activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase complexes, propagation of conformational changes in the receptor domains across the plasma membrane, and interaction of the receptors with their downstream effectors. To validate our structural models, we use quantitative cell-based functional assays, such as phospo-flow cytometry.

Understanding how cell membrane participates in cellular signaling by multi-protein signaling assemblies: By using various technologies of the in vitro membrane reconstitution, we use synthetic approaches to build signaling units comprising receptor tyrosine kinases and their interacting partners in vitro. This allows us to study how the stoichiometry and kinetic properties of receptor activation are regulated by the membrane environment. In collaboration with the Verba lab, we are developing approaches for visualization of these complexes at high resolution by cryo-EM.

Understudied protein kinases: Most of research focuses on few protein kinases leaving large portion of human kinome unexplored. Around 10% of all kinases in the human genome do not even have catalytic activity, but are essential for cellular homeostasis and frequently misregulated in human diseases. We are interested in elucidating the structural and functional basis for the understudied and atypical kinase functions, and ultimately in their modulation by small molecules with the goal of developing effective therapeutics.

Publications

Publisher Correction: Evolution of enhanced innate immune evasion by SARS-CoV-2.

Nature

Thorne LG, Bouhaddou M, Reuschl AK, Zuliani-Alvarez L, Polacco B, Pelin A, Batra J, Whelan MVX, Hosmillo M, Fossati A, Ragazzini R, Jungreis I, Ummadi M, Rojc A, Turner J, Bischof ML, Obernier K, Braberg H, Soucheray M, Richards A, Chen KH, Harjai B, Memon D, Hiatt J, Rosales R, McGovern BL, Jahun A, Fabius JM, White K, Goodfellow IG, Takeuchi Y, Bonfanti P, Shokat K, Jura N, Verba K, Noursadeghi M, Beltrao P, Kellis M, Swaney DL, García-Sastre A, Jolly C, Towers GJ, Krogan NJ

Preface.

Methods in enzymology

Jura N, Murphy JM

Evolution of enhanced innate immune evasion by SARS-CoV-2.

Nature

Thorne LG, Bouhaddou M, Reuschl AK, Zuliani-Alvarez L, Polacco B, Pelin A, Batra J, Whelan MVX, Hosmillo M, Fossati A, Ragazzini R, Jungreis I, Ummadi M, Rojc A, Turner J, Bischof ML, Obernier K, Braberg H, Soucheray M, Richards A, Chen KH, Harjai B, Memon D, Hiatt J, Rosales R, McGovern BL, Jahun A, Fabius JM, White K, Goodfellow IG, Takeuchi Y, Bonfanti P, Shokat K, Jura N, Verba K, Noursadeghi M, Beltrao P, Kellis M, Swaney DL, García-Sastre A, Jolly C, Towers GJ, Krogan NJ

Evolution of enhanced innate immune evasion by the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 UK variant.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Thorne LG, Bouhaddou M, Reuschl AK, Zuliani-Alvarez L, Polacco B, Pelin A, Batra J, Whelan MVX, Ummadi M, Rojc A, Turner J, Obernier K, Braberg H, Soucheray M, Richards A, Chen KH, Harjai B, Memon D, Hosmillo M, Hiatt J, Jahun A, Goodfellow IG, Fabius JM, Shokat K, Jura N, Verba K, Noursadeghi M, Beltrao P, Swaney DL, Garcia-Sastre A, Jolly C, Towers GJ, Krogan NJ

CryoEM and AI reveal a structure of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp2, a multifunctional protein involved in key host processes.

Research square

Verba K, Gupta M, Azumaya C, Moritz M, Pourmal S, Diallo A, Merz G, Jang G, Bouhaddou M, Fossati A, Brilot A, Diwanji D, Hernandez E, Herrera N, Kratochvil H, Lam V, Li F, Li Y, Nguyen H, Nowotny C, Owens T, Peters J, Rizo A, Schulze-Gahmen U, Smith A, Young I, Yu Z, Asarnow D, Billesbølle C, Campbell M, Chen J, Chen KH, Chio US, Dickinson M, Doan L, Jin M, Kim K, Li J, Li YL, Linossi E, Liu Y, Lo M, Lopez J, Lopez K, Mancino A, Iii FM, Paul M, Pawar K, Pelin A, Pospiech T, Puchades C, Remesh S, Safari M, Schaefer K, Sun M, Tabios M, Thwin A, Titus E, Trenker R, Tse E, Tsui TKM, Feng F, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Zhou F, Zhou Y, Zuliani-Alvarez L, Agard D, Cheng Y, Fraser J, Jura N, Kortemme T, Manglik A, Southworth D, Stroud R, Swaney D, Krogan N, Frost A, Rosenberg O

CryoEM and AI reveal a structure of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp2, a multifunctional protein involved in key host processes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Gupta M, Azumaya CM, Moritz M, Pourmal S, Diallo A, Merz GE, Jang G, Bouhaddou M, Fossati A, Brilot AF, Diwanji D, Hernandez E, Herrera N, Kratochvil HT, Lam VL, Li F, Li Y, Nguyen HC, Nowotny C, Owens TW, Peters JK, Rizo AN, Schulze-Gahmen U, Smith AM, Young ID, Yu Z, Asarnow D, Billesbølle C, Campbell MG, Chen J, Chen KH, Chio US, Dickinson MS, Doan L, Jin M, Kim K, Li J, Li YL, Linossi E, Liu Y, Lo M, Lopez J, Lopez KE, Mancino A, Moss FR, Paul MD, Pawar KI, Pelin A, Pospiech TH, Puchades C, Remesh SG, Safari M, Schaefer K, Sun M, Tabios MC, Thwin AC, Titus EW, Trenker R, Tse E, Tsui TKM, Wang F, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Zhou F, Zhou Y, Zuliani-Alvarez L, QCRG Structural Biology Consortium , Agard DA, Cheng Y, Fraser JS, Jura N, Kortemme T, Manglik A, Southworth DR, Stroud RM, Swaney DL, Krogan NJ, Frost A, Rosenberg OS, Verba KA

Fragment Binding to the Nsp3 Macrodomain of SARS-CoV-2 Identified Through Crystallographic Screening and Computational Docking.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Schuller M, Correy GJ, Gahbauer S, Fearon D, Wu T, Díaz RE, Young ID, Martins LC, Smith DH, Schulze-Gahmen U, Owens TW, Deshpande I, Merz GE, Thwin AC, Biel JT, Peters JK, Moritz M, Herrera N, Kratochvil HT, Aimon A, Bennett JM, Neto JB, Cohen AE, Dias A, Douangamath A, Dunnett L, Fedorov O, Ferla MP, Fuchs M, Gorrie-Stone TJ, Holton JM, Johnson MG, Krojer T, Meigs G, Powell AJ, Rack JGM, Rangel VL, Russi S, Skyner RE, Smith CA, Soares AS, Wierman JL, Zhu K, Jura N, Ashworth A, Irwin J, Thompson MC, Gestwicki JE, von Delft F, Shoichet BK, Fraser JS, Ahel I

Comparative host-coronavirus protein interaction networks reveal pan-viral disease mechanisms.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

Gordon DE, Hiatt J, Bouhaddou M, Rezelj VV, Ulferts S, Braberg H, Jureka AS, Obernier K, Guo JZ, Batra J, Kaake RM, Weckstein AR, Owens TW, Gupta M, Pourmal S, Titus EW, Cakir M, Soucheray M, McGregor M, Cakir Z, Jang G, O'Meara MJ, Tummino TA, Zhang Z, Foussard H, Rojc A, Zhou Y, Kuchenov D, Hüttenhain R, Xu J, Eckhardt M, Swaney DL, Fabius JM, Ummadi M, Tutuncuoglu B, Rathore U, Modak M, Haas P, Haas KM, Naing ZZC, Pulido EH, Shi Y, Barrio-Hernandez I, Memon D, Petsalaki E, Dunham A, Marrero MC, Burke D, Koh C, Vallet T, Silvas JA, Azumaya CM, Billesbølle C, Brilot AF, Campbell MG, Diallo A, Dickinson MS, Diwanji D, Herrera N, Hoppe N, Kratochvil HT, Liu Y, Merz GE, Moritz M, Nguyen HC, Nowotny C, Puchades C, Rizo AN, Schulze-Gahmen U, Smith AM, Sun M, Young ID, Zhao J, Asarnow D, Biel J, Bowen A, Braxton JR, Chen J, Chio CM, Chio US, Deshpande I, Doan L, Faust B, Flores S, Jin M, Kim K, Lam VL, Li F, Li J, Li YL, Li Y, Liu X, Lo M, Lopez KE, Melo AA, Moss FR, Nguyen P, Paulino J, Pawar KI, Peters JK, Pospiech TH, Safari M, Sangwan S, Schaefer K, Thomas PV, Thwin AC, Trenker R, Tse E, Tsui TKM, Wang F, Whitis N, Yu Z, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Zhou F, Saltzberg D

An International Multi-Center Evaluation of Inheritance Patterns, Arrhythmic Risks, and Underlying Mechanisms of CASQ2- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia.

Circulation

Ng K, Titus EW, Lieve KV, Roston TM, Mazzanti A, Deiter FH, Denjoy I, Ingles J, Till J, Robyns T, Connors SP, Steinberg C, Abrams DJ, Pang B, Scheinman MM, Bos JM, Duffett SA, van der Werf C, Maltret A, Green MS, Rutberg J, Balaji S, Cadrin-Tourigny J, Orland KM, Knight LM, Brateng C, Wu J, Tang AS, Skanes AC, Manlucu J, Healey JS, January CT, Krahn AD, Collins KK, Maginot KR, Fischbach P, Etheridge SP, Eckhardt LL, Hamilton RM, Ackerman MJ, Rosés I Noguer F, Semsarian C, Jura N, Leenhardt A, Gollob MH, Priori SG, Sanatani S, Wilde AAM, Deo RC, Roberts JD

A SARS-CoV-2 protein interaction map reveals targets for drug repurposing.

Nature

Gordon DE, Jang GM, Bouhaddou M, Xu J, Obernier K, White KM, O'Meara MJ, Rezelj VV, Guo JZ, Swaney DL, Tummino TA, Huettenhain R, Kaake RM, Richards AL, Tutuncuoglu B, Foussard H, Batra J, Haas K, Modak M, Kim M, Haas P, Polacco BJ, Braberg H, Fabius JM, Eckhardt M, Soucheray M, Bennett MJ, Cakir M, McGregor MJ, Li Q, Meyer B, Roesch F, Vallet T, Mac Kain A, Miorin L, Moreno E, Naing ZZC, Zhou Y, Peng S, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Shen W, Kirby IT, Melnyk JE, Chorba JS, Lou K, Dai SA, Barrio-Hernandez I, Memon D, Hernandez-Armenta C, Lyu J, Mathy CJP, Perica T, Pilla KB, Ganesan SJ, Saltzberg DJ, Rakesh R, Liu X, Rosenthal SB, Calviello L, Venkataramanan S, Liboy-Lugo J, Lin Y, Huang XP, Liu Y, Wankowicz SA, Bohn M, Safari M, Ugur FS, Koh C, Savar NS, Tran QD, Shengjuler D, Fletcher SJ, O'Neal MC, Cai Y, Chang JCJ, Broadhurst DJ, Klippsten S, Sharp PP, Wenzell NA, Kuzuoglu D, Wang HY, Trenker R, Young JM, Cavero DA, Hiatt J, Roth TL, Rathore U, Subramanian A, Noack J, Hubert M, Stroud RM, Frankel AD, Rosenberg OS, Verba KA, Agard DA, Ott M, Emerman M, Jura N, von Zastrow M, Verdin E, Ashworth A, Schwartz O, d'Enfert C, Mukherjee S, Jacobson M, Malik HS, Fujimori DG, Ideker T, Craik CS, Floor SN, Fraser JS, Gross JD, Sali A, Roth BL, Ruggero D, Taunton J, Kortemme T, Beltrao P, Vignuzzi M, García-Sastre A, Shokat KM, Shoichet BK, Krogan NJ

A SARS-CoV-2-Human Protein-Protein Interaction Map Reveals Drug Targets and Potential Drug-Repurposing.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Gordon DE, Jang GM, Bouhaddou M, Xu J, Obernier K, O'Meara MJ, Guo JZ, Swaney DL, Tummino TA, Hüttenhain R, Kaake RM, Richards AL, Tutuncuoglu B, Foussard H, Batra J, Haas K, Modak M, Kim M, Haas P, Polacco BJ, Braberg H, Fabius JM, Eckhardt M, Soucheray M, Bennett MJ, Cakir M, McGregor MJ, Li Q, Naing ZZC, Zhou Y, Peng S, Kirby IT, Melnyk JE, Chorba JS, Lou K, Dai SA, Shen W, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Barrio-Hernandez I, Memon D, Hernandez-Armenta C, Mathy CJP, Perica T, Pilla KB, Ganesan SJ, Saltzberg DJ, Ramachandran R, Liu X, Rosenthal SB, Calviello L, Venkataramanan S, Lin Y, Wankowicz SA, Bohn M, Trenker R, Young JM, Cavero D, Hiatt J, Roth T, Rathore U, Subramanian A, Noack J, Hubert M, Roesch F, Vallet T, Meyer B, White KM, Miorin L, Agard D, Emerman M, Ruggero D, García-Sastre A, Jura N, von Zastrow M, Taunton J, Schwartz O, Vignuzzi M, d'Enfert C, Mukherjee S, Jacobson M, Malik HS, Fujimori DG, Ideker T, Craik CS, Floor S, Fraser JS, Gross J, Sali A, Kortemme T, Beltrao P, Shokat K, Shoichet BK, Krogan NJ

Actionable Activating Oncogenic ERBB2/HER2 Transmembrane and Juxtamembrane Domain Mutations.

Cancer cell

Pahuja KB, Nguyen TT, Jaiswal BS, Prabhash K, Thaker TM, Senger K, Chaudhuri S, Kljavin NM, Antony A, Phalke S, Kumar P, Mravic M, Stawiski EW, Vargas D, Durinck S, Gupta R, Khanna-Gupta A, Trabucco SE, Sokol ES, Hartmaier RJ, Singh A, Chougule A, Trivedi V, Dutt A, Patil V, Joshi A, Noronha V, Ziai J, Banavali SD, Ramprasad V, DeGrado WF, Bueno R, Jura N, Seshagiri S