Protein Chemistry

The research unit Protein Chemistry (SPRO) goes back to 1967 when it was founded thanks to the joint efforts of Prof. R. Jeener (ULB) and Prof. L. Kanarek, who retired a few years ago. Originally, the research activities focused on the immunogenicity of hen egg white lysozyme and its proteolytic fragments. Since the early seventies, the research topics diversified. Over the years the lab developed original technologies for the purification of a wide range of proteins from bacteria, yeasts, animals and plants. Today, the main topics of interest are: 1. Protein purification methodology; 2. Isolation, physico-chemical characterisation and organisation of enzymes belonging to energy metabolism pathways, especially the citric acid cycle and the glyoxylic acid cycle; 3. Investigations on plant, invertebrate and bacterial lectins.