Petra Fromme

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Petra Fromme
Fromme in 2017
Alma materTechnical University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Scientific career
InstitutionsArizona State University
Max Volmer Institute
ThesisDie ATP-Synthase aus Chloroplasten biochemische Untersuchungen zur Struktur und kinetische Messungen zum Mechanismus des Enzyms (1988)

Petra Fromme is a German-American chemist who is Director of the Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery and Regents Professor at the Arizona State University. Her research considers the structure-to-function relationship of the membrane proteins involved with infectious diseases and bio-energy conversion. In 2021, she was awarded the Protein Society Anfinsen Award.

Early life and education[edit]

Fromme was born in Germany. She attended the Free University of Berlin for undergraduate studies, where she majored in biochemistry.[1] She moved to the Technical University of Berlin for her doctoral research, where she investigated the ATP synthase of chloroplasts.[2]

Research and career[edit]

Fromme's academic career started at the Max Volmer Institute, part of the Technical University of Berlin.[citation needed] Fromme joined Arizona State University as a Professor of Molecular Sciences in 2002.[3] She was named Paul V Galvin Professor in 2012. In 2014, Fromme was appointed Director of the Centre for Applied Structural Discovery.[4][5] The following year she was selected as a Regents' Professor.[6] At Arizona State, she oversaw the development of two compact X-ray accelerator systems, including an X-ray light source[7] and an X-ray Free Electron Laser.[8][9][10]

Fromme was amongst the first people to use high energy X-ray free-electron lasers to analyze proteins. These lasers, which produce extremely bright and ultra-short pulses of light, allow for serial femtosecond nanocrystallography.[11] Whilst conventional high intensity X-ray pulses can damage the molecules they are interrogating, femtosecond pulses can permit the acquisition of diffraction patterns before the sample degrades.[8] Femtosecond measurements allowed Fromme to establish the structure-property relationships of crucial biological systems, including ATP synthase, Photosystem I and Photosystem II.[12][13][14][15] Nanocrystallography will allow for the development of more safe and effective drugs,[16][17][18] as well as accelerating our understanding of material design for renewable energy sources.[8][19]

In an effort to design new drugs, Fromme has studied the structure of disease-linked enzymes in the human body including Taspase I.[20] The protease is involved with cell metabolism, proliferation, migration and termination, and its dysregulation is implicated in the genesis of various cancers.[21] By investigating Taspase I with free-electron lasers, Fromme showed that there is a critical helical region which defines the protease activity, and eliminating this region can deactiviate the enzyome entirely.[21] X-ray Free Electron Lasers also allowed for the characterisations of Francisella tularensis, the bacterium which gives rise to Tularemia.[22]

She also has published and co published many scientific papers in many journals, like; Three-Dimensional structure of Cyanobacterial photosystem I at 2.5 Å resolution, Crystal Structure of photosystem II from Synechococcus elongatus at 3.8 Å resolution, Femtosecond X-ray protein nano-crystallography, Single mimivirus particulars intercepted and imaged with an X-Ray Laser, and so much more.[23]

Awards and honors[edit]

Selected publications[edit]

  • P Jordan; P Fromme; H T Witt; O Klukas; W Saenger; Norbert Krauß (1 June 2001). "Three-dimensional structure of cyanobacterial photosystem I at 2.5 A resolution". Nature. 411 (6840): 909–917. doi:10.1038/35082000. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 11418848. Wikidata Q27632715.
  • Zouni A; Witt HT; Jan Kern; Fromme P; Norbert Krauß; Saenger W; Orth P (1 February 2001). "Crystal structure of photosystem II from Synechococcus elongatus at 3.8 A resolution". Nature. 409 (6821): 739–743. doi:10.1038/35055589. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 11217865. Wikidata Q27629975.
  • Henry N Chapman; Petra Fromme; Anton Barty; et al. (3 February 2011). "Femtosecond X-ray protein nanocrystallography". Nature. 470 (7332): 73–7. doi:10.1038/NATURE09750. ISSN 1476-4687. PMC 3429598. PMID 21293373. Wikidata Q27644346.

Books[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Petra Fromme". Arizona State University. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  2. ^ Fromme, Petra (1988). Die ATP-Synthase aus Chloroplasten biochemische Untersuchungen zur Struktur und kinetische Messungen zum Mechanismus des Enzyms (Thesis) (in German). OCLC 721655618.
  3. ^ Ryman, Anne. "New ASU center to expand cutting-edge research". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  4. ^ "ASU protein pioneer honored as innovator at governor's celebration". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  5. ^ "ASU appoints Petra Fromme as director of new Center for Applied Structural Discovery". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  6. ^ "Three ASU faculty members appointed Regents' Professors". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  7. ^ "Beuses' $10 million gift to build world's first-of-its-kind X-ray laser lab at ASU". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  8. ^ a b c d "Petra Fromme honored with the prestigious Anfinsen Award". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  9. ^ "The sounds of science: A quiet home for a powerful laser". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  10. ^ "Bright lights, big science: Revolutionary laser instrument receives $4.7 million boost from the National Science Foundation". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  11. ^ "Time-resolved Femtosecond Crystallography: Toward Molecular Movies of Molecules In Action". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  12. ^ "Petra Fromme". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  13. ^ "BioXFEL - Petra Fromme". www.bioxfel.org. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  14. ^ "Photosynthesis seen in a new light by rapid X-ray pulses". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  15. ^ "X-ray study unlocks secrets of light-sensing organism". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  16. ^ "Research team finds possible new approach for sleeping sickness drugs". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  17. ^ "One step closer: Membrane protein structure expressed in Lyme disease could offer therapeutic target". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  18. ^ "X-ray pulses reveal structure of viral cocoon". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  19. ^ "Research". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  20. ^ "Finding answers to cancer in the cosmos". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  21. ^ a b "First detailed look at crucial enzyme advances cancer research". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  22. ^ "X-ray eyes peer deeper into deadly pathogen". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  23. ^ "Petra Fromme". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  24. ^ "ASU research makes Science's top 10 breakthroughs". ASU News. 2013-01-13. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  25. ^ "Fromme garners Best of Phoenix award". Biodesign Institute | ASU. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
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