Gerald Stubbs Professor of Biological Sciences D.Phil., University of Oxford, United Kingdom e-mail gerald.stubbs@vanderbilt.edu laboratory home page

X-ray crystallography, fiber diffraction, filamentous plant virus structure, virus-host interactions. Knowing the detailed three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules and assemblies is essential to an understanding of their functions, including control of their activity. We are studying the molecular structure of viruses, in particular the rod-shaped plant viruses, both for their intrinsic interest and as models for a wide variety of cellular assemblies. We use the methods of x-ray crystallography and fiber diffraction. The structure of tobacco mosaic virus has been determined at 2.9 Å resolution. This has enabled us to understand the mechanism of control of assembly of this virus. Through collaborations with molecular geneticists, we are designing and studying mutations of the virus that affect viral assembly, disassembly, transport, and host symptomatology. We are currently studying several viruses related to TMV, a number of unrelated plant viruses, and a variety of other filamentous assemblies.