General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
2023-26539
Description de l'unité
Internationally recognized in the field of environmental biology, the BIAM brings together the skills of 150 collaborators from its three divisions.
Its objective is to advance knowledge and develop biotechnological concepts, for example, in the field of soil and contaminated water decontamination (bioremediation), health or the production of high value-added molecules such as 3rd generation biofuels.
To achieve this, the Institute's 9 teams are studying the response and adaptation mechanisms of our preferred biological models, namely bacteria, microalgae and plants, in the face of environmental constraints.
Our group has a strong interest in the photosynthetic mechanisms that are conserved in all phototrophic organisms for photoprotection and energy production. This work is based on our technical platforms and our technological platforms but also on state-of-the-art laboratories.
Position description
Category
Biology, biophysics and biochemistry
Contract
Postdoc
Job title
Post-doc H/F
Subject
The Photosynthesis & Environment Lab at CEA Cadarache, France, is looking for a talented postdoctoral fellow to lead a newly funded project aimed to define the role of heme ci of the cytochrome b6 f complex of the photosynthetic electron transport chain.
Contract duration (months)
36
Job description
This heme is specific to the photosynthetic cyt b6 f complex, being absent in the respiratory homolog cyt bc1 complex. Up to date, the role of this additional cofactor has remained elusive. Heme ci is close to the stromal quinone Qi binding site.
Our question is: how do the redox dynamics around the Qi site in cyt b6 f complexes modulate the reactive semiquinone state and how does ci affect these dynamics?
Arg207b6 coordinates heme ci’s propionate. The C-terminus of cyt b6 stretches towards Arg125SuIV (on the left) which plays a pivotal
role in the interaction with the Stt7 kinase (Dumas et al., 2017). Arg125SuIV forms a salt bridge with the carboxyl-terminal of cyt b6.
Can ci be involved in the regulatory process of state transitions? Reproduced from (Buchert and Zito, 2022).
This project will include close collaboration with Francesca Zito and Julien Sellés from the Institute of Biology and Physico-Chemistry in Paris. The project will investigate the possible roles of heme ci in terms of electron transfer and regulation of the light reactions of photosynthesis.
Applicant Profile
Candidates must have a PhD with expertise in protein biochemistry and physico-chemistry of proteins. The ideal candidate will demonstrate enthusiasm, passion for research, intellectual creativity, and a history of working well in teams. The candidates must be able to express clearly their hypothesis and results in English, in an organised manner.
CV, Cover letter and Contact information for three references.
Position location
Site
Cadarache
Job location
France, Provence-Côte d'Azur, Bouches du Rhône (13)
Location
SAINT-PAUL-LEZ-DURANCE
Candidate criteria
Languages
English (Fluent)
Requester
Position start date
02/05/2023