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  • team
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  • center
  • program_project
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  • whocc
  • project
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  • tool
  • patent
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  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Clinical Research Assistant
  • Clinician Researcher
  • Department Manager
  • Full Professor
  • Graduate Student
  • Honorary Professor
  • Lab assistant
  • Non-permanent Researcher
  • Permanent Researcher
  • Pharmacist
  • PhD Student
  • Physician
  • Post-doc
  • Prize
  • Project Manager
  • Research Associate
  • Research Engineer
  • Retired scientist
  • Technician
  • Undergraduate Student
  • Veterinary
  • Visiting Scientist
  • Deputy Director of Center
  • Deputy Director of Department
  • Deputy Director of National Reference Center
  • Deputy Head of Facility
  • Director of Center
  • Director of Department
  • Director of Institute
  • Director of National Reference Center
  • Group Leader
  • Head of Facility
  • Head of Operations
  • Head of Structure
  • Honorary President of the Departement
  • Labex Coordinator
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About

The “Molecular Biophysics” facility (french acronym: Plate Forme de Biophysique MoleculaIre, PFBMI) federates an ensemble of state-of-the-art instrumentation for the in vitro molecular-scale characterization of biological macromolecules, together with well established technical and methodological expertise

What do we do ? The mission of the PFBMI is to provide an added value to a great variety of biological projects, enabling the characterization of the intrinsic properties of macromolecules and their assemblies (size, shape, folding, stability auto-association,…) and of the interactions in which they are involved (stoichiometry, thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, …). PFBMI equipments are available for the entire scientific community, in France and abroad, but a priority is given to teams from Institut Pasteur and the Institut Pasteur International Network.

Pricing : services are charged according to the following  downloadable chart

Steering committee: Jean-Baptiste CHARBONNIER (CEA Saclay), Alexandre CHENAL (Institut Pasteur), Katherine STOTT (University of Cambridge), Nicolas WOLFF (Institut Pasteur) The PFBMI follows the best practice guidelines of C2RT

To submit a project to the PFBMI : For more information on Quality Control service, please send an email to qcprotein@pasteur.fr. You can download and join a QC submission form For all other PFBMI services, please send an e-mail to biophysique@pasteur.fr together with a completed project submission form.

Fields of expertise of the PFBMI :

Technologies available at the PFBMI :

The PFBMI also provides privileged access to instrumentation installed in other Institut Pasteur research units or in the Synchrotron SOLEIL:

  • Electrophoretic mobility
  • Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
  • Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS): SOLEIL SWING beamline

In 2008, the PFBMI obtained the IBISA label recognizing it as a French National core facility.

Since 2021, the PFBMI also coordinates the European Horizon 2020 funded project MOSBRI (MOlecular-Scale Biophysics Research Infrastructure), which brings together 13 academic and 2 industrial partners from 11 European countries. MOSBRI provides cutting-edge trans-national access to instrumentation and expertise, carries out ambitious joint research activities and organizes enticing networking activities, such as conferences, training schools and benchmarking actions.

 

 

Services

Booking site

Characterisation of molecular interactions

Equilibrium affinity constants (Kd) of protein-protein or protein-ligand interactions can be determined by performing  titrations, and monitoring  the extrinsic or intrinsic fluorescence of partners by Fluorescence spectroscopy (intensity or anisotropy) or by Microscale thermophoresis […]

Quality control (QC) of purified proteins

This service allows you to obtain a full qualitative analysis (QC) of your purified proteins and helps you to identify conditions in which these proteins are best behaved. The basic analysis will provide you […]

Thermodynamic stability of macromolecules

Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy allows the determination of secondary and tertiary structures, the analysis of conformational changes and the measure of thermal and chemical stability of folding. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) gives access to […]

Secondary and tertiary structures of macromolecules

Circular dichroism (CD) allows the measurement of secondary and tertiary structures, the analyse of conformational changes, the kinetic of folding and the thermal and chemical stability of folding. Fluorescence spectroscopy gives access to the […]

Size and Shape of Macromolecules and their assemblies

Analytical Ultracentrifugation gives access to the mass and shape of macromolecules in solution, allowing to evaluate their oligomerization state, their stoichiometry and the equilibrium constant of assemblies. Dynamic Light Scattering (cuvette or microplaque) allows […]

Stoichiometry of Macromolecular Assemblies

Static Light Scattering allows to measure the mass and intrinsic viscosity of macromolecules Analytical Ultracentrifugation gives access to the oligomerization state and the stoichiometry of molecular assemblies  

Equipments

Booking site

Fluorescence spectroscopy • Jasco • FP-8550

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a versatile technique which allows to analyze, at steady-state or in real time, the variations of the environment of fluorescent probes, either intrinsic (for instance tryptophans in the case of proteins) […]

Taylor Dispersion & Viscometry • Malvern Panalytical • Viscosizer TD

A Taylor dispersion instrument allows the determination of the diffusion coefficient, the hydrodynamic radius and the intrinsic viscosity of molecules. The method measures the dispersion of a solute pulse injected into a flowing fluid […]

Mass Photometry • Refeyn • TwoMP

Mass Photometry is offered using the Refeyn TwoMP system. This applies the principle of interference reflection microscopy and interferometric scattering microscopy to quantify light scattered by a single molecule on a glass surface. The […]

Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) • ForteBio • Octet Red 384

The PFBMI has a high-throughput non-microfluidic BLI instrument (Octet RED384, ForteBio) that enables the label-free analysis of 16 molecular interactions simultaneously in real time. To that avail, one of the interaction partners is immobilized […]

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) • Beckman-Coulter • Optima

The PFBMI has a Optima (Beckman-Coulter) analytical  ultracentrifuge with a dual UV/visible and interference detection system. The hydrodynamic behavior of a macromolecule and its sedimentation coefficient are determined by different parameters: volume, shape, density […]

Mass spectrometer MALDI-TOF/TOF • Bruker • UltrafleXtreme

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is a soft ionization processes due to its capacity to transfer a moderate excess of energy to the analyte, which is crucial for fragile and non-volatile compounds such as proteins. […]

Differential Scanning Fluorimetry NanoDSF • Nanotemper • Prometheus NT 48

NanoDSF measures the thermal denaturation of proteins by following the modification of the  environment of their fluorescent aminoacids Tryptophanes and Tyrosines . Prometheus (Nanotemper) instrument can perform fast and sensitive simultaneous analyses of 48 […]

Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) • Jasco • 6100

Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy allows to analyze the secondary structure of macromolecules by measuring absorption frequencies of some specific chemical groups (notably, for proteins, that of the amide bond). Informations given by FTIR are […]

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) • Wyatt • Dynapro Plate Reader

Studying the dynamic light scattering of particles in solution allows to quantify their diffusion coefficient and to deduce their hydrodynamic radius (which depends notably on their mass and shape). The PFBMI has a DynaPro […]

Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) • Nanotemper • NT115

Microscale thermophoresis allows to monitor a great variety of molecular interactions rapidly and with a very low sample consumption, by measuring optically the mobility of macromolecules in a microscopic temperature gradient generated in a […]

Microcalorimetry (DSC: Differential Scanning Calorimetry) • Malvern • CAP-DSC

Microcalorimetry enables the thermodynamic characterization of molecular interactions in solution, and of biochemical reactions in general. The Capillary Differential scanning calorimeter (CAP-DSC, Malvern) is principally dedicated to the study of the thermal stability of […]

Isothermal Titration Microcalorimetry (ITC) • Malvern • ITC200

Microcalorimetry enables the thermodynamic characterization of molecular interactions in solution, and of biochemical reactions in general. Isothermal titration calorimeters (VP-ITC et ITC200) are principally dedicated to the study of molecular interactions. By measuring the […]

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) • Beckman-Coulter • ProteomeLab XL-I

The PFBMI has a ProteomeLab XL-I (Beckman-Coulter) analytical  ultracentrifuge with a dual UV/visible and interference detection system. The hydrodynamic behavior of a macromolecule and its sedimentation coefficient are determined by different parameters: volume, shape, […]

Fluorescence Spectroscopy – Stopped Flow • TgK Scientific • KinetAsyst SF61-DX2

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a versatile technique which allows to analyze, at steady-state or in real time, the variations of the environment of fluorescent probes, either intrinsic (for instance tryptophans in the case of proteins) […]

Fluorescence Spectroscopy • Photon Technology International • Quantamaster QM4CW

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a versatile technique which allows to analyze, at steady-state or in real time, the variations of the environment of fluorescent probes, either intrinsic (for instance tryptophans in the case of proteins) […]

Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) LabelFree • Nanotemper • Monolith LabelFree

Microscale thermophoresis allows to monitor a great variety of molecular interactions rapidly and with a very low sample consumption, by measuring optically the mobility of macromolecules in a microscopic temperature gradient generated in a […]

Surface Plasmon Resonance Biacore T200 • GE Healthcare • Biacore T200

The PFBMI has a microfluidic SPR instrument (Biacore T200, Cytiva) that enables the label-free analysis of molecular interactions in real time. To that avail, one of the interaction partners is immobilized on a sensorchip, […]

Microcalorimetry – ITC • Malvern • VP-ITC

Microcalorimetry enables the thermodynamic characterization of molecular interactions in solution, and of biochemical reactions in general. Isothermal titration calorimeters (VP-ITC et ITC200), principally dedicated to the study of molecular interactions. By measuring the reaction […]

Static Light Scattering and viscometry • Malvern • OMNISEC GPC/SEC system

The intensity of light scattered by a solution is directly proportional to the average molecular weight and to the concentration of its components. The PFBMI has a multiple detector (OMNISEC GPC/SEC, Malvern), coupled to […]

Dynamic Light Scattering • Wyatt • Dynapro MS800

Studying the dynamic light scattering of particles in solution allows to quantify their diffusion coefficient and to deduce their hydrodynamic radius (which depends notably on their mass and shape). The PFBMI has a cuvette […]

Circular Dichroism • JASCO • J-1500/ 450W

The PFBMI has an J-1500/ 450W instrument with accessories for the measurement of total fluorescence and to perform titrations. Studying macromolecules (and in particular proteins) by circular dichroism allows to obtain information about their […]

Former Members

2000
2000
Name
Position
2015
2020
Pascal Lenormand
Technician
2013
2016
Jocelyne Fraysse
Administrative Staff
2016
2021
Christine Detchepare
Administrative Staff
2021
Bruno Baron
Senior research engineer

Projects

Project
Ongoing
8 Members

Biophysical characterization of the translocation process of Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin CyaA

Alexandre Chenal (PI)

This project aims to describe the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic properties of the CyaA toxin and the conformational changes it undergoes during its translocation process across the lipid membranes of Bordetella pertussis (secretion) and of […]
Project
Ongoing
3 Members

CarbUniVax

Laurence Mulard (PI)

At the forefront of the rising fields of Chemical and Synthetic Biology, CarbUniVax is a multidisciplinary project sitting at the frontier between Glycosciences and Vaccinology. A multidisciplinary strategy is proposed that challenges ambitious goals […]
Project
Completed
5 Members

In solution conformation of the SigmaS subunit of RNA polymerase

Françoise Norel-Bozouklian (PI)

There is no tridimentional structure available for free sigma factors.   We have recently probed the conformation of SigmaS in solution by analytical ultracentrifugation, small angle X-ray scattering and Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry.
Project
Ongoing
10 Members

Inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase

Hélène Munier-Lehmann (PI)

 Inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is ubiquitously essential for the biosynthesis of guanosine nucleotides and catalyzes the NAD-dependent oxidation of IMP to XMP. IMPDH is a major target in the design of both antitumor and immunosuppresive […]
Project
Completed
3 Members

Crl: a “binding and deliver” SigmaS chaperone

Françoise Norel-Bozouklian (PI)

Regulation of many key biological processes in bacteria involves the interplay between Sigma factors and anti-Sigma factors that typically attenuate Sigma factor function by restricting its access to RNA polymerase (RNAP). In contrast, our […]
Project
Ongoing
26 Members

CyaA secretion, folding and translocation across membrane

Alexandre Chenal (PI)

CyaA, a 1706 residue-long protein, is one of the major virulence factors produced by B. pertussis and plays an important role in the early stages of respiratory tract colonization. This toxin uses an original […]

Fundings

Publications

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