CIMR-Gabriel Waksman

Research Group

Gabriel Waksman

gabriel.waksman(at)cimrbj.ac.cn

Distinguished Investigator

gabriel.waksman(at)cimrbj.ac.cn

B.S. in Genetics & Fundamental Biochemistry, University of Paris, France

M.S. in Genetics & Biochemistry, University of Paris, France

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, University of Paris, France

Work Experience

2026-Present

Distinguished Investigator and Director, Chinese Institute for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Beijing, China

2001-Present

Professor of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London; Courtauld Professor of Biochemistry, University College London, UK

1993-2001

Assistant, Associate, Full, and Endowed Professor of Biochemistry, Washington University, USA

1991-1993

Postdoctoral Assistant, Rockefeller University, USA

1987-1991

Postdoctoral Assistant, University of Bristol and Sheffield, UK

1985-1987

Staff Scientist, RhonePoulenc, France

Research Direction

The Waksman laboratory at CIMR works on investigating bacterial conjugation. Bacterial conjugation is the principal means by which antibiotic resistance genes spread among bacterial populations. Antibiotic resistance constitutes a major threat to public health systems worldwide. It is therefore biomedically important that we gain a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanism by which genes are transferred from one bacterium to another.

Major Research Projects

1. Structural biology and dynamic characterisation of the major complexes involved in bacterial conjugation and investigation of their functions during gene transfer.

2. Investigation of the molecular basis of cell-cell interactions during gene transfer.

3. Signal processing and molecular pathway during gene transfer between bacterial cells.

Major Contributions

1. First characterisation of the biogenesis mechanism of extracellular appendages involved in host-pathogen recognition (Science, 1999; Cell, 2001; Cell, 2002; Cell, 2008; Nature, 2011; Nature, 2013; Cell, 2016a).

2. First insights into the mechanism of inter-bacterial gene transfer during bacterial conjugation (Science, 2009; Nature, 2009; Nature, 2014; Cell, 2016b; Cell, 2017; Nature, 2022).

Representative Publications *：Co-first author; #：Co-corresponding author

K. Macé^#, A.K. Vadakkepat, A. Redzej, N. Lukoyanova, C. Oomen, N. Braun, M. Ukleja, F. Lu, T.R.D. Costa, E.V. Orlova, D. Baker, Q. Cong^#, and G. Waksman^#. Cryo-EM structure of a type IV secretion system. Nature, 2022, 607: 191-196. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04859-y

A. Ilangovan, C. Kay, S. Roier, H. Mkami, E. Salvadori, E. Zechner, G. Zanetti^#, and G. Waksman^#. Cryo-EM structure of a relaxase reveals the molecular basis of DNA unwinding during bacterial conjugation. Cell, 2017, 169: 708–721. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.04.010

T. Costa, A., Ilangovan, M. Ukleja, A. Redzej, J. Santini, T. Smith, E. Egelman^#and G. Waksman^#. Structure of the bacterial sex F pilus reveals an assembly of a stoichiometric protein-phospholipid complex. Cell, 2016, 166: 1436–1444. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.025

M. Hospenthal, A. Redzej, K. Dodson, M. Ukleja, B. Frenz, C. Rodrigues, S. Hultgren, F. DiMaio, E. Egelman^#and G. Waksman^#. Structure of a Chaperone-Usher pilus reveals the molecular basis of rod uncoiling. Cell, 2016, 164: 269-278. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.049

H.H. Low, F. Gubellini, A. Rivera-Calzada, N. Braun, S. Connery, A. Dugeancourt, F. Lu, A. Redzej, R. Fronzes^#, E.V. Orlova^#, and G. Waksman^#. Structure of a Type IV Secretion System. Nature, 2014, 508: 550-553. DOI: 10.1038/nature13081

S. Geibel, E. Procko, S.J. Hultgren, D. Baker^#, and G. Waksman^#. Structure and energetic basis of folded protein transport by the FimD usher. Nature, 2013, 496: 243-246. DOI: 10.1038/nature12007

G. Phan, H. Remaut, T.Wang, W. Allen, K. Pirker, A. Lebedev, N. Henderson, S. Geibel, E. Volkan, J. Yan, M. Kunze, J. Pinkner, B. Ford, C. Kay, H. Li, S. Hultgren, D. Thanassi^#, and G. Waksman^#. Crystal structure of the FimD usher bound to its cognate FimC:FimH substrate. Nature, 2011, 474: 49-53. DOI: 10.1038/nature10109

Chandran, R. Fronzes, S. Duquerroy, N. Cronin, J. Navaza, and G. Waksman^#. Crystal structure of the outer membrane complex of a type IV secretion system. Nature, 2009, 462: 1011-1015. DOI: 10.1038/nature08588

R. Fronzes, E. Schaefer, H. Saibil, E. Orlova and G. Waksman^#. Structure of type IV secretion core complex. Science, 2009, 323: 266-268. DOI: 10.1126/science.1166101

H. Remaut, C. Tang, N.S. Henderson, J.S. Pinkner, T. Wang, S.J. Hultgren#, D.G. Thanassi^#, G. Waksman^#, H. Li^#. Fiber Formation Across the Bacterial Outer Membrane by the Chaperone/Usher Pathway. Cell, 2008, 133: 640-652. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2008.03.033

F.G. Sauer, J. Pinkner, G. Waksman^#, and S.J.Hultgren. Chaperone Priming of Pilus Subunit Facilitates a Topological Transition that Drives Fiber Formation. Cell, 2002, 111: 543-51. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(02)01050-4

K.W. Dodson, J.S. Pinkner, T. Rose, G. Magnusson, S.J. Hultgren^#, and G. Waksman^#. Structural Basis of Tropism of Pyelonephritic E. coli for the Human Kidney. Cell, 2001, 105: 733–743. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(01)00388-9

F.G. Sauer, K. Fütterer, J.S. Pinkner, K.W. Dodson, S.J. Hultgren^#, and G. Waksman^#. Structural basis of chaperone function and pilus biogenesis. Science, 1999, 285: 1058-1061. DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5430.1058