Professor Bostjan Kobe

NHMRC Leadership Fellow

School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
Faculty of Science
b.kobe@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 52132

Overview

Dr Kobe's research interests are in protein structure and function, focussing particularly on proteins involved in the processes of infection and immunity.

The primary techniques used in the laboratory are X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, combined with a plethora of other molecular biology, biophysical and computational techniques.

Current projects include:

  • Structural basis of signalling by cooperative assembly formation (SCAF) in innate immunity and cell-death pathways, in particular Toll-like receptors and interleukin-1 receptors
  • Structural basis of plant disease resistance - particularly plant NLRs and the correponding pathogen effector proteins
  • Molecular and structural basis of function of proteins from pathogens (fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens)

Research Interests

  • Protein structure and function
    The group’s research theme is protein structure and function, with the emphasis on understanding the structural basis of intra- and intermolecular interactions formed by these macromolecules and inferring function from structure. The biological focus is on proteins involved in infection and immunity. The goal of the research is to use structural and molecular information to understand the molecular and cellular functions of proteins, validate proteins as therapeutic targets or biotechnological products, and to design new therapeutics and biotechnological applications. The primary techniques used in the laboratory are X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, combined with a plethora of other molecular biology, biophysical and computational techniques

Research Impacts

We focus on basic research that provides a foundsation for applications in medicine (inflammatory, neurodegenerative and infectious disease) anf agriculture (improving plant disease resistance).

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy of Biochemistry and Biophysics
  • Bachelor of Science, University of Limerick

Publications

  • Ganio, Katherine, Nasreen, Marufa, Yang, Zihao, Maunders, Eve A., Luo, Zhenyao, Hossain, Sheikh Imamul, Ngu, Dalton H. Y., Ellis, Daniel, Gu, Jin, Neville, Stephanie L., Wilksch, Jonathan, Gunn, Adam P., Whittall, Jonathan J., Kobe, Boštjan, Deplazes, Evelyne, Kappler, Ulrike and McDevitt, Christopher A. (2024). Hfe Permease and Haemophilus influenzae Manganese Homeostasis. ACS Infectious Diseases, 10 (2), 436-452. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00407

  • Maruta, Natsumi, Outram, Megan A. and Kobe, Bostjan (2023). Mildew RALPHs up in arms with cereals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (36) e2311817120, 1-3. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2311817120

  • Li, Sulin, Manik, Mohammad K., Shi, Yun, Kobe, Bostjan and Ve, Thomas (2023). Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domains in bacterial and plant immunity. Current Opinion in Microbiology, 74 102316, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102316

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Grants

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Supervision

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Available Projects

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Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Ellis, Jonathan J. and Kobe, Boštjan (2013). Protein phosphorylation. Encyclopedia of biophysics. (pp. 2037-2040) edited by Gordon C. K. Roberts. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16712-6_184

  • Kobe, Bostjan and Kemp, Bruce E. (2010). Principles of kinase regulation. Handbook of Cell Signaling, 2/e. (pp. 559-563) Elsevier Inc.. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-374145-5.00074-7

  • Mouradov, Dmitri, Kobe, Bostjan, Dixon, Nicholas E. and Huber, Thomas (2010). Hybrid methods for protein structure prediction. Introduction to protein structure prediction: Methods and algorithms. (pp. 265-277) edited by Huzefa Rangwala and George Karypis. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.. doi: 10.1002/9780470882207.ch12

  • W. Saunders, Neil F., Brinkworth, Ross I., Kemp, Bruce E. and Kobe, Bostjan (2010). Substrates of Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Protein Kinases. Handbook of Cell Signaling. (pp. 1489-1495) Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-374145-5.00182-0

  • Li, Sheng, Mouradov, Dmitri, King, Gordon, Liu, Tong, Ross, Ian, Kobe, Bostjan, Woods, Virgil L. and Huber, Thomas (2009). Study of protein three-dimensional structure and dynamics determination using peptide amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (DXMS) and chemical cross-linking with mass spectrometry to constrain molecular modeling. Structural Bioinformatics. (pp. 171-206) edited by Gu, Jenny and Bourne, Phillip E.. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Robin, G., Cowieson, N.P., Guncar, G., Forwood, J.K., Listwan, P., Hume, D.A., Kobe, B., Martin, J.L. and Huber, T.L. (2008). A general target selection method for crystallographic proteomics. Structural Proteomics: High-Throughput Methods. (pp. 27-35) edited by Kobe, B., Guss, M. and Huber, T.L.. Totowa, NJ, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-058-8_2

  • Cowieson, N. P., Wensley, B., Robin, G., Guncar, G., Forwood, J. K., Hume, D. A., Kobe, B. and Martin, J. L. (2008). A medium or high throughput protein refolding assay. Structural Proteomics: High throughput Methods. (pp. 269-275) edited by Bostjan Kobe, Mitchell Guss and Thomas Huber. Totowa, NJ, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-058-8_17

  • Thakur, A. S., Newman, J., Martin, J. L. and Kobe, B. (2008). Increasing protein crystallization screening success with heterogeneous nucleating agents. Structural Proteomics: High-throughput Methods. (pp. 403-409) edited by B. Kobe, M. Guss and T. Huber. USA: Humana Press.

  • Meng, Weining, Forwood, Jade K., Guncar, Gregor, Robin, Gautier, Cowieson, Nathan P., Listwan, Pawel, Mouradov, Dmitri, King, Gordon, Ross, lan L., Robinson, Jodie, Puri, Munish, Hill, Justine M., Kellie, Stuart, Huber, Thomas, Hume, David A., Martin, Jennifer L. and Kobe, Bostjan (2008). Overview of the pipeline for structural and functional characterization of macrophage proteins at the University of Queensland. Structural proteomics: High-throughput methods. (pp. 577-587) edited by B. Kobe, M. Guss and T. L. Huber. Totowa, NJ, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-058-8_38

  • Mouradov, Dmitri, King. Gordon, Ross, Ian L., Forwood, Jade K., Hume, David A., Sinz, Andrea, Martin, Jennifer L., Kobe, Bostjan and Huber, Thomas L. (2008). Protein structure determination using a combination of cross-linking, mass spectrometry, and molecular modeling. Structural Proteomics: High Throughput Methods. (pp. 459-474) edited by Bostjan Kobe, Mitchell Guss and Thomas L. Huber. Totowa, NJ, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-058-8_31

  • Brinkworth, R. I., Kobe, B. and Kemp, B.L.E. (2004). Peptide substrates of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases. Handbook of Cell Signaling. (pp. 495-499) edited by R. A. Bradshaw and E. A. Dennis. USA: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-012124546-7/50563-5

  • Kobe, B. and Kemp, B. E. (2004). Principles of kinase regulation. Handbook of Cell Signaling Vol 1. (pp. 539-542) edited by R. A. Bradshaw and E. A. Dennis. USA: Academic Press.

  • Kobe, Bostjan and Kemp, Bruce E. (2003). Principles of Kinase Regulation. Handbook of Cell Signaling. (pp. 539-542) Elsevier Inc.. doi: 10.1016/B978-012124546-7/50450-2

  • Brinkworth, R. I., Breinl, R. A. and Kobe, B. (2002). Conserved sequence motifs in protein kinase families. Recent Research Developments in Protein Folding Stability and Design. (pp. 67-77) edited by M Michael Gromiha and S Selvaraj. Trivandrum, India: Research Signpost.

  • Kobe, Bostjan, Jennings, Ian G. and Cotton, Richard G. H. (2002). Structure and Regulation of Phenylalanine Hydroxylase, and Implications for Related Enzymes. Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines and Folates. (pp. 79-84) Boston, MA: Springer US. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-0945-5_13

  • Heierhorst, Jorg, Pearson, Richard, Horne, James, Bozinovski, Steven, Kobe, Bostjan and Kemp, Bruce E. (2000). Protein serine/threonine kinases. Principles of Molecular Regulation. (pp. 297-310) edited by Michael Conn P. and Anthony R. Means. Totowa, N.J., USA: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-59259-032-2_17

  • Kobe, Bostjan, Gleichmann, Thomas, Teh, Trazel, Heierhorst, Jorg and Kemp, Bruce E. (1999). Crystallization of protein kinases and phosphatases. Protein phosphorylation: A practical approach. (pp. 387-422) edited by D. Grahame Hardie. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

  • Kobe, Boštjan, Heierhorst, Jörg and Kemp, Bruce E. (1997). 3 Intrasteric regulation of protein kinases. Advances in Second Messenger and Phosphoprotein Research. (pp. 29-40) Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s1040-7952(97)80006-7

  • Rizo, Josep, Blanco, Francisco, Kobe, Bostjan, Bruch, Martha D., Hoyt, David W. and Gierasch, Lila M. (1992). Conformations of wild-type and mutant OmpA signal sequences in membrane mimetic environments. Peptides. (pp. 265-267) Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-94-011-2264-1_94

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.