Alla Gustchina, Ph.D.

Alla Gustchina, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
Center for Structural Biology

Team Member of:

Alexander Wlodawer, Ph.D.

My major research goal is to investigate structure-function relationship for a number of proteins, with particular emphasis on studies of aspartic proteases from mammals, parasites, and retroviruses. Other projects included studies of ATP-dependent protease Lon and serine-carboxyl proteases (sedolisins). I have been also involved in structural investigations of retroviral integrases.

Areas of Expertise

aspartic proteases

Contact Info

Alla Gustchina, Ph.D.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Bldg. 538, Room 205
Frederick, MD 21702-1201
Ph: 301-846-5338
gustchia@mail.nih.gov

My major research goal is to investigate structure-function relationship for a number of proteins, with particular emphasis on studies of aspartic proteases from mammals, parasites, and retroviruses. Other projects included studies of ATP-dependent protease Lon and serine-carboxyl proteases (sedolisins). I have been also involved in structural investigations of retroviral integrases.

Selected Publications

  1. Complexes of neutralizing and non-neutralizing affinity matured Fabs with a mimetic of the internal trimeric coiled-coil of HIV-1 gp41.
    Gustchina E, Li M, Ghirlando R, Schuck P, Louis JM, Pierson J, Rao P, Subramaniam S, Gustchina A, Clore GM, Wlodawer A.
    PLoS ONE. 8: e78187, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
  2. Crystal Structure of Crataeva tapia Bark Protein (CrataBL) and Its Effect in Human Prostate Cancer Cell Lines.
    Ferreira RD, Zhou D, Ferreira JG, Silva MC, Silva-Lucca RA, Mentele R, Paredes-Gamero EJ, Bertolin TC, Dos Santos Correia MT, Paiva PM, Gustchina A, Wlodawer A, Oliva ML.
    PLoS ONE. 8: e64426, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Crystal structures of a plant trypsin inhibitor from Enterolobium contortisiliquum (EcTI) and of its complex with bovine trypsin.
    Zhou D, Lobo YA, Batista IF, Marques-Porto R, Gustchina A, Oliva ML, Wlodawer A.
    PLoS ONE. 8: e62252, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Structural studies of the interaction of Crataeva tapia bark protein with heparin and other glycosaminoglycans.
    Zhang F, Walcott B, Zhou D, Gustchina A, Lasanajak Y, Smith DF, Ferreira RS, Correia MT, Paiva PM, Bovin NV, Wlodawer A, Oliva ML, Linhardt RJ.
    Biochemistry. 52: 2148-56, 2013. [ Journal Article ]
  5. Structural studies of vacuolar plasmepsins.
    Bhaumik P, Gustchina A, Wlodawer A.
    Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1834: 207-223, 2012. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Gustchina received her Ph. D. degree in 1984 at the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia. She worked there in the protein crystallography laboratory headed by Professor Natalia Andreeva. She joined the Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory in 1989 and was appointed Staff Scientist in 1999.