Type I Restriction and Modification Systems

Type I R-M based Research at Portsmouth

Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory
Biophysics Laboratories
School of Biological Sciences
University of Portsmouth
St. Michael's Building
White Swan Road
Portsmouth PO1 2DT
United Kingdom

Tel +44 (0)23 9284 2059
Fax +44 (0)23 9284 2070

Group Leader: Dr Keith Firman (Reader in Molecular Biotechnology - retired October 2010)

Research Group:

Dr James Youell
(postdoctoral worker employed on the EPSRC funded EUROCORES NanoSci-E+ Project "Molecular Machines" (now supervised by Dr Darren Gowers) and previously employed on the, now completed, BioNano-Switch Project).

Mr Daniel Fordham
(postgraduate student writing his thesis on aptamer development for biosensing)

Ms Aneta Hyb
(postgraduate student writing her thesis on protein-protein interactions within EcoR124I)

Areas of Research Interest:

The EcoR124I restriction endonuclease.
Type IC R-M systems.
Protein-protein interactions and subunit assembly.
The influence of hydrophobic toxins on subunit assembly.
The motor activity of Type IC restriction enzymes.
Developing a nanoactuator based on the EcoR124I molecular motor and derivatives thereof.
Mutagenesis of M.EcoR124I MTase.
Mutagenesis of the HsdR motor subunit of Type IC restriction enzymes.
Structure-function studies of the EcoR124I R-M enzyme.
Use of DNA modifying enzymes as single molecule molecular motors.

Research Collaborations

Research Publications:

Firman, K. (1982). The restriction and modification system of the bacterial plasmid R124. PhD, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Glover, S. W. & Firman, K. (1982). Genetic control of DNA specificity. In Genetic exchange (Streips, U. N., Goodgal, S. H., Guild, W. R. & Wilson, G. A., eds.), pp. 331-338. Marcel Dekker, New York.
Firman, K., Creasey, W. A., Watson, G., Price, C. & Glover, S. W. (1983). Genetic and physical studies of restriction-deficient mutants of the IncFIV plasmids R124 and R124/3. Molecular and General Genetics 191, 145-153.
Glover, S. W., Firman, K., Watson, G., Price, C. & Donaldson, S. (1983). The alternate expression of two restriction and modification systems. Molecular and General Genetics 190, 65-69.
Harper, S. H., Firman, K. & Glover, S. W. (1984). The interaction of mini-F with the plasmids R124 and R124/3. In Plasmids in bacteria (Helinski, D. R., Cohen, S. N., Clewell, D. B., Jackson, D. A. & Hollaender, A., eds.), pp. G20. Plenum Press, New York.
Firman, K., Price, C. & Glover, S. W. (1985). The EcoR124 and EcoR124/3 restriction and modification systems: cloning the genes. Plasmid 14, 224-234.
Price, C., Bickle, T. A., Firman, K. & Glover, S. W. (1989). Unequal crossing over as a mechanism to generate changes in DNA sequence recognition by the type I restriction and modification enzymes. Journal of Molecular Biology 205, 115-125.
Firman, K. (1991). DNA Cloning/Sequencing Workshop: A short course. Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Wiseman, A., Ed.), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, U.K.
Patel, J., Taylor, I., Dutta, C. F., Kneale, G. G. & Firman, K. (1992). High-level expression of the cloned genes encoding the subunits of and the intact DNA methyltransferase, M.EcoR124. Gene 112, 21-27.
Taylor, I., Patel, J., Firman, K. & Kneale, G. G. (1992). Purification and biochemical characterisation of the EcoR124 modification methylase. Nucleic Acids Research 20, 179-186.
Zinkevich, V., Heslop, P., Glover, S. W., Weiserova, M., Hubacek, J. & Firman, K. (1992). A mutation in the specificity polypeptide of the type I restriction endonuclease R.EcoK that affects subunit assembly. Journal of Molecular Biology 227, 597-601.
Patel, J. & Firman, K. (1992). 11th European Meeting on Genetic Transformation, Budapest.
Abadjieva, A., Zinkevich, V., Weiserova, M., Patel, J. & Firman, K. (1992). 11th European Conference on Genetic Transformation, Budapest.
Weiserova, M., Janscak, P., Benada, O., Hubacek, J., Zinkevich, V., Glover, S. W. & Firman, K. (1993). Cloning, production and characterisation of wild type and mutant forms of the R.EcoK endonucleases. Nucleic Acids Research 21, 373-379.
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J., Webb, M., Zinkevich, V. & Firman, K. (1993). A deletion mutant of the type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124I expressing a novel DNA specificity. Nucleic Acids Research 21, 4435-4443.
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J. & Firman, K. (1993). 11th International Biophysics Congress, Budapest.
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J., Webb, M. & Firman, K. (1993). Restriction Endonucleases and Modification Methyltransferases: Structures and Mechanisms, Vermont, USA.
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J., Zinkevich, V. & Firman, K. (1994). Deletions within the DNA recognition subunit of M.EcoR124I that identify a region involved in protein protein interactions between HsdS and HsdM. Journal of Molecular Biology 241, 35-43.
Holubová, I., Janscák, P., Weiserová, M., Benada, O., Hubácek, J. & Firman, K. (1994). Cellular localisation of the type I restriction and modification system of Escherichia coli K-12. IUMS Congresses '94, Prague.
Hubacek, J., Weiserova, M., Janscak, P. & Firman, K. (1994). Restriction endonuclease R.EcoK and R.EcoR124 are probably located in different environments within the bacterial cell. Folia Microbiologica 39, 162-165.
Cherny, D. I., Kurakin, A. V., Lyamichev, V. I., Frank-Kamenetskii, M. D., Zinkevich, V. E., Firman, K. & Nielsenq, P. E. (1994). Electron microscopy of sequence-specific recognition of duplex by different ligands. J. Mol. Recogn. 7, 171-176.
Webb, M., Taylor, I. A., Firman, K. & Kneale, G. G. (1995). Probing the domain structure of the type IC DNA methyltransferase M.EcoR124I by limited proteolysis. Journal of Molecular Biology 280, 181-190.
Janscak, P., Abadjieva, A. & Firman, K. (1996). The type I restriction endonuclease R.EcoR124I: Over-production and biochemical properties. Journal of Molecular Biology 257, 977-991.
Szczelkun, M. D., Dillingham, M. S., Janscák, P., Firman, K. & Halford, S. E. (1996). Repercussions of DNA tracking by the type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124I on linear, circular and catenated substrates. EMBO J. 15, 6335-6347.
Zinkevich, V., Popova, L., Kryukov, V., Abadjieva, A., Bogdarina, I., Janscák, P. & Firman, K. (1997). The HsdR subunit of R.EcoR124II: cloning and over-expression of the gene and unexpected properties of the subunit. Nucleic Acids Res. 25, 503-510.
Weiserova, M. & Firman, K. (1997). Point mutations in the central conserved region of the DNA recognition subunit of R.EcoR124I affecting subunit assembly of the endonuclease. 4th New England Biolabs Workshop on Biological DNA Modification, Igls, Innsbruck, Austria
Weiserová, M. & Firman, K. (1998). Isolation of a non-classical mutant of the DNA recognition subunit of the type I restriction endonuclease R.EcoR124I. Biological Chemistry 379, 585-589.
Szczelkun, M. D., Janscak, P., Firman, K. & Halford, S. E. (1997). Selection of non-specific DNA cleavage sites by the type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124I. Journal of Molecular Biology 271, 112-123.
Janscák, P., Dryden, D. & Firman, K. (1998). Analysis of the subunit assembly of the type IC restriction-modification enzyme EcoR124I. Nucleic Acids Res. 26, 4439-4445.
Mernagh, D. R., Janscák, P., Firman, K. & Kneale, G. G. (1998). Protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions in the Type I restriction endonuclease R.EcoR124I. Biological Chemistry 379, 497-503.
Akimkina, T., Ivanov, P., Kostrov, S., Sokolova, T., Bonch-Osmolovskaya, L., Firman, K., Dutta, C. F. & McClellan, J. (1999). A Highly Conserved Plasmid from the Extreme Thermophile Themotoga maritima MC24 is a member of a family of plasmids distributed worldwide. Plasmid 42, 236-240.
Slater, J. L., Mitchell, J. I., Firman, K., Bremer, G. B., Lambert, C. & Duchars, M. (1999). A molecular study of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid production by the marine fungoid protist Thraustochytrium striatum Schneider. Marine Mycology Symposium, Hong Kong}.
Janscák, P., Weiserová, M., Hubácek, J., Holubová, I., Dutta, C. F. & Firman, K. (2000). Two temperature-sensitive mutations in the DNA-binding subunit of EcoKI with differing properties. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 182, 99-104.
Firman, K., Dutta, C., Weiserova, M. & Janscak, P. (2000). The role of subunit assembly in the functional control of type I restriction-modification enzymes. Molecular Biology Today 1(2), 1-8.
Firman, K. & Szczelkun, M. (2000). Measuring motion on DNA by the type I restriction endonuclease EcoR124I using triplex dissociation. European Molecular Biology Organisation Journal 19, 2094-2102.
Holubova, I., Vejsadova, S., Weiserova, M. & Firman, K. (2000). Localisation of the type I restriction-modification enzyme EcoKI in the bacterial cell. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 270, 46-51.
Lisle, W., Dutta, C. F., Penner, M., Kaufmann, G. & Firman, K. (2000). Phage T4-Encoded Stp Alleviates the DNA Restriction Activity of EcoR124I Endonuclease by Removing a Single R Subunit Off the HsdR₂M₂S Holoenzyme. Molecular Biology Today 1, 57-64.
Weiserova, M., Dutta, C. F. & Firman, K. (2000). A novel mutant of the type I restriction-modification enzyme EcoR124I is altered at a key stage in the subunit assembly pathway. Journal of Molecular Biology 304, 301-310.
Roberts, R.J., et al., (2003) A nomenclature for restriction enzymes, DNA methyltransferases, homing endonucleases and their genes. Nucleic Acids Research, 31, 1805-1812.
Abadjieva, A., Scarlett, G., Janscák, P., Dutta, C.F., and Firman, K. (2003) Characterisation of an EcoR124I DNA Restriction-Modification Enzyme Produced from a Deleted Form of the DNA-Binding Subunit, Which Results in a Novel DNA Specificity. Folia Microbiol. 48: 319-328.
Holubova, I., Stepánka, V., Firman, K. & Weiserova, M. (2004). Cellular Localization of Type I Restriction-Modification Enzymes is Family Dependent. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 319, 375-380.
Firman, K. (2004) Enzymes as molecular motors. International Society for Optical Engineering Nanotechnology E-bulletin, June: 3-4.
Seidel, R., van Noort, J., van der Scheer, C., Bloom, J.G.P., Dekker, N.H., Dutta, C.F., Blundell, A., Robinson, T., Firman, K., and Dekker, C. (2004) Real-Time Observation of DNA Translocation by the Type I Restriction-Modification Enzyme EcoR124I. Nature Structural Molecular Biology 11: 838 - 843.
Pennadam, S.S., Firman, K., Alexander, C. and Górecki, D.C. (2004) Protein-polymer nano machines. Towards synthetic control of biological processes. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2, 1-7.
Pennadam, S., Lavigne, M.D., Dutta, C.F., Firman, K., Mernagh, D., Górecki, D.C. and Cameron, A. (2004) Control of A Multi-Subunit DNA Motor By A Thermo Responsive Polymer Switch. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 126, 13208-13209.
van Noort, J., van der Heijden, T., Dutta, C.F., Firman, K. and Dekker, C. (2004) Initiation of Translocation by Type I Restriction-Modification Enzymes is Associated with a Short DNA Extrusion. Nucleic Acids Res, 32, 6540-6547.
Firman, K. (2005) A Molecular Magnetic Switch that links the Biological and Silicon Worlds. IST-FET Newsletter, Vol. 1, p. 4.
Seidel, R., Bloom, J.G.P., van Noort, J., Dutta, C.F., Dekker, N.H., Firman, K., Szczelkun, M.D. and Dekker, C. (2005) Dynamics of initiation, termination and reinitiation of DNA translocation by the motor protein EcoR124I. EMBO J, 24, 4188-4197.
Obarska, A., Blundell, A., Feder, M., Vejsadová, t., Šišáková, E., Weiserová, M., Bujnicki, J.M. and Firman, K. (2006) Structural Model for the Multisubunit Type IC Restriction-Modification DNA Methyltransferase M.EcoR124I in complex with DNA. Nucleic Acids Res, 34, 1992-2005.
Youell, J., and K. Firman. (2007). Biological molecular motors for nanodevices. Nanotechnology Perceptions 3: 75-96.
Youell, J. & K. Firman, (2008) EcoR124I: from plasmid-encoded restriction modification system to nanodevice. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 72: 365–377.

Posters Presented:

Glover, S.W. & Firman, K. Control of plasmid-coded restriction systems. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, LEEDS, 1980.
Firman, K. The switch in specificity of the bacterial restriction and modification system EcoR124. NORTHERN BACTERIAL GENETICS SYMPOSIUM, LEEDS, 1980.
Firman, K. Interactions between the plasmids R124 and F. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, CAMBRIDGE, 1982.
Firman, K. The switch of the specificity of the R124 restriction and modification system. SGM - GENETICAL SOCIETY JOINT SYMPOSIUM UMIST, 1983.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. The alternate expression of restriction and modification specificity. XV INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GENETICS, NEW DELHI, 1983.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. DNA rearrangements between the plasmids F and R124, XV INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GENETICS, NEW DELHI, 1983.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. The cloned R124 and R124/3 restriction and modification genes. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, BIRMINGHAM, 1984.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. The switch in specificity of the restriction and modification system EcoR124. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, BIRMINGHAM, 1984.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. DNA rearrangements associated with F-like origins. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MICROBIOLOGY, MANCHESTER, 1986.
Firman, K. & Glover, S.W. Two closely related type I restriction and modification systems - EcoR124 and EcoR124/3. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MICROBIOLOGY, MANCHESTER, 1986.
Firman, K Evolution of type I restriction and modification specificity. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, DURHAM, 1987.
Firman, K. Precise excision of the gamma-delta transposon. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, WARWICK, 1988.
Dutta, C., Patel, J., Taylor, I & Firman, K. DNA recognition by type I restriction endonucleases. PROTEIN ENGINEERING - GRONIGEN, 1989.
Taylor, I., Patel, J., Firman, K. & Kneale, G.G. Purification and renaturation studies of the DNA recognition subunit of EcoR124. BRITISH BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY MEETING, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE (1990).
Abadjieva, A., Firman, K., Glover, S.W., Hubacek, J. & Weiserova, M. A new class of mutations in the hsdM gene for type I restriction enzymes. Molecular Genetics of Bacteria & Phages, COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORIES, COLD SPRING HARBOR, NEW YORK, (1992).
Zinkevich, V., Glover, S.W., Firman, K., Hubacek, J. & Weiserova, M. Mutations in hsdS that affect assembly of type I restriction enzymes. Molecular Genetics of Bacteria & Phages, COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORIES, COLD SPRING HARBOR, NEW YORK, (1992).
Patel, J. & Firman, K. The domain structure and DNA binding properties of type I restriction and modification systems (lecture). 11th EUROPEAN MEETING ON GENETIC TRANSFORMATION, BUDAPEST (1992).
Abadjieva, A., Zinkevich, V., Weiserova, M., Patel, J., & Firman, K. The domain structure and subunit assembly of type I restriction and modification systems (poster). 11th EUROPEAN MEETING ON GENETIC TRANSFORMATION, BUDAPEST (1992).
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J. & Firman, K. Mutations in the DNA binding subunit of EcoR124 that produce a novel DNA specificity. 11th INTERNATIONAL BIOPHYSICS CONGRESS, BUDAPEST (1993a).
Abadjieva, A., Patel, J., Webb, M. & Firman, K. (1993b) Deletion mutants of the EcoR124 restriction-modification system with novel DNA specificity. RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASES AND MODIFICATION METHYLTRANSFERASES STRUCTURES AND MECHANISMS, FASEB, VERMONT, USA
Firman, K.. Development of a hypertext teaching system based on the ToolBook authoring software. EDINBURGH (1994).
Abadjieva, A. Patel, J., Weiserova, M., Janscak, P., Hubacek, J., Zinkevich, V., Dutta, C., and Firman, K. Analysis of the domain organisation of the DNA binding subunit of type I restriction endonucleases. 7th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF BACTERIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, IUMS, PRAGUE (1994).
Zinkevich, V., Weiserova, M. Janscak, P., Abadjieva, A., Kryukov, V. and Firman, K. Temperature-sensitive mutations within the HsdS and HsdM genes of EcoKI which appear to affect subunit-subunit interactions. 7th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF BACTERIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, IUMS, PRAGUE (1994).
Abadjieva, A., Webb, M., Patel, J., Zinkevich, V. and Firman, K. Deletions within the DNA recognition subunit of M.EcoR124I that identify a region involved in protein-protein interactions between HsdS and HsdM. 7th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF BACTERIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, IUMS, PRAGUE (1994).
Holubova, I., Janscak, P., Weiserova, M., Benada, O., Hubacek, J. and Firman, K. Cellular localisation of the type I restriction and modification system of Escherichia coli K-12. 7th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF BACTERIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, IUMS, PRAGUE (1994).
Janscak, P., Weiserova, M., Benada, O., Hubacek, J. and Firman, K. Substrate preference of R.EcoKI restriction endonuclease. 7th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF BACTERIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, IUMS, PRAGUE (1994).
Janscak, P. and Firman, K. Structure-function differences among type I restriction endonucleases. MOLECULAR GENETICS OF BACTERIA AND PHAGES, COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORIES, USA (1995)
Janscak, P. and Firman, K. DNA binding and cleavage by the type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124I. MOLECULAR GENETICS OF BACTERIA AND PHAGES, COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORIES, USA (1995)
Janscak, P. & Firman, K. The influence of quaternary structure on the function of the type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124I. 4TH NEW ENGLAND BIOLABS WORKSHOP ON BIOLOGICAL DNA MODIFICATION, IGLS, INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA (1997).
Weiserova, M. & Firman, K. (1997). Point mutations in the central conserved region of the DNA recognition subunit of R.EcoR124I affecting subunit assembly of the endonuclease. 4TH NEW ENGLAND BIOLABS WORKSHOP ON BIOLOGICAL DNA MODIFICATION, IGLS, INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA.
Akimkina, T., Kostrov, S., Ivanov, P., Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Sokolova, T., Firman, K. and McClellan, J. (1998). A novel plasmid fgrom the extreme thermophile Thermotoga maritima MC24 is negatively supercoiled. THERMOPHILES 98, BREST, FRANCE.
Slater, J. L., Mitchell, J. I., Firman, K., Bremer, G. B., Lambert, C. & Duchars, M. (1999). A molecular study of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid production by the marine fungoid protist Thraustochytrium striatum Schneider. Marine Mycology Symposium, Hong Kong.
Keith Firman and Mark Szczelkun (1999). EcoR124I restriction endonuclease as a molecular motor. 144th Ordinary Meeting of the SGM – Symposium Molecular Machines: Mobile protein complexes in micro-organisms, Leeds, UK.
Keith Firman, Mark Szczelkun and Christina F Dutta (2001). Type I restriction-modification enzymes: DNA-based molecular motors. ACS Prospectives Conference Series. Biological Applications of Nanotechnology. BERKLEY, CALIFORNIA USA. June 3-6.
Keith Firman, Mark Szczelkun and Christina F Dutta (2001). Type I restriction-modification enzymes: DNA-based molecular motors. BBSRC Workshop, Molecular Motors: Biology, Biophysics and applications. SCARMAN HOUSE, UNIVERSITY WARWICK.
Keith Firman (2001). A DNA-based molecular motor capable of acting as an actuator in nanotechnological devices. Southern Bioscience Bring and Bio – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FAIR, UNIVERSITY OF READING.
Keith Firman (2002). Targeted Nano-Solutions in Healthcare. BioNanoTech Conferences to collate Expressions of Interest for 6th Framework Networks of Excellence. MÜNSTER, GERMANY.
Alex Blundell, John van Noort, Keith Firman (2003). Structural Studies of a DNA-Binding Molecular Motor. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, LONDON.
Ralf Seidel, Carsten van der Scheer, John van Noort, Keith Firman, Cees Dekker (2003). Translocation of type I restriction endonuclease EcoR124I along DNA measured with magnetic tweezers. BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY, BALTIMORE, USA.
Marie Weiserová, Štěpánka Vejsadová, Keith Firman (2003). Type I Restriction-Modification Enzymes as Molecular Motors in Bio-Nanotechnology, Nanosciences, nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, Czech Society for New Materials and Technologies, Prague and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, BRNO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, CZECH REPUBLIC.
Alex Blundell, John van Noort and Keith Firman (2003). Structural studies of a DNA-binding molecular motor. Nanoforum Workshop on Nanomaterials and Applications, SINAIA, ROMANIA.
Keith Firman (2003). Linking the biological and silicon worlds through the use of a molecular motor. 2nd Defence Nanotechnology Conference, MILLENIUM GLOUCESTER HOTEL, LONDON.
J. van Noort, R. Seidel, Cees Dekker, C.F. Dutta, T. Robinson and K. Firman (2004). A Molecular Motor that Links the Biological and Silicon Worlds. NanoTech 2004, BOSTON, USA.
Olga Kazakova, Lizzie Brown, Catherine Halliwell, John Gallop, Keith Firman, and Christina Dutta (2004). Nanomagnetic studies of molecular motors. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Conference (CMMP04), UNIVERSITY of WARWICK, UK.
Keith Firman (2004). Molecular Motors. FET Information Day, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
Terry Robinson, Steven Magennis, David Dryden and Keith Firman (2004). Fluorescence Studies of the EcoR124I Molecular Motor. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Alex Blundell, Christina Dutta, Terry Robinson, Marie Weiserova and Keith Firman (2004). Structure-Function of the EcoR124I Restriction-Modification Enzyme. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Peter Coxhead, Christina Dutta, James Smith, Olga Kazakova, John van Noort, Thijn van der Heijden, Cees Dekker and Keith Firman (2004). AFM analysis of DNA Translocation by EcoR124I. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Terry Robinson, Olga Kazakova, Catherine Halliwell, Christina Dutta, John Gallop and Keith Firman (2004). Surface attachment and Self-Assembly of a Molecular Motor. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Keith Firman, John Gallop, Cees Dekker, David Bensimon, Roberto Favilla and Marie Weiserova (2004). Mol Switch: an EU-funded project. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
I. Holubová, Š. Vejsadová, K. Firman, M. Weiserová (2004). Family dependent variations in membrane topology of the Type I Restriction-Modification enzymes. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Ralf Seidel, John van Noort, Carsten van der Scheer, Joost Bloom, Nynke Dekker, Terence Robinson, Christina F. Dutta, Alex Blundell, Keith Firman, and Cees Dekker (2004). Translocation of Type I restriction endonuclease EcoR124I along DNA measured with magnetic tweezers. 5th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Eva Šišáková, Keith Firman, Marie Weiserová (2004). Mutagenic analysis of the endonuclease catalytic motif of the HsdR subunit of Type IC enzyme EcoR124I. 5^th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Štěpánka Vejsadová, Keith Firman, Marie Weiserová (2004). Subunit Assembly Mutants of the Type I R-M enzyme EcoR124I. 5^th NEB meeting on restriction/modification, Bristol UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL, UK.
Keith Firman (2004). A Biological Molecular Motor with the potential to be a self-assembling nanoactuator. 3^rd International Conference NANO 04 BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC.
Keith Firman (2004). Bionanotechnology: motoring toward a nanoactuator. Microtechnologies and Nanotechnologies Conference (Science and Technology week of the Basque Country), DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN.
Keith Firman (2005). Mol Switch: A biological molecular motor with the potential to be a self-assembling nanoactuator. NID Conference, Phantoms Network, MADRID, SPAIN.
Keith Firman (2005). Biological Molecular Motors - toward a nanoactuator/biosensor device. Annual IMM Symposium, NIJMEGEN, THE NETHERLANDS.
Ralf Seidel, Joost G. P. Bloom, Carsten van der Scheer, John van Noort, Nynke H. Dekker, Keith Firman, Mark D. Szczelkun and Cees Dekker (2005). Tracking of Type I restriction enzymes along the DNA. Helicases and NTP driven nucleic acid machines, AROLLA, SWITZERLAND.
Keith Firman (2006). Developing Molecular Motors for Nanotechnology.
FET Conference Group, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
Keith Firman (2006). Building a nanoactuator: a biological molecular motor that can manipulate objects on the microscale. ICT for Bio-Medical sciences and Healthcare, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
Keith Firman, Peter Coxhead, James Youell, John van Noort, Ralf Seidel and Cees Dekker (2006). Single molecule analysis of DNA translocation by the molecular motor R.EcoR124I. 159th Meeting of the SGM, University of YORK, UK.
Keith Firman (2006). Building a bionanoactuator: single molecule biosensing. European Nanosciences Conference, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
Keith Firman, Peter Coxhead, James Youell, John van Noort, Ralf Seidel and Cees Dekker (2006). Single molecule analysis of DNA translocation by the molecular motor R.EcoR124I. 159th Meeting of the SGM, University of YORK, UK.
Keith Firman (2007). Use of a molecular motor for reporting events at the single molecule level – a nanoactuator. Nanoscale Physics and Technology: the Interface with Medical and Biological Sciences, Institute of Physics, University of SOUTHAMPTON, UK.
Keith Firman, Kathy McMahon and Ivo Utke (2007). Attended a Workshop on Synthetic Biology at the EMERGENCE/TESSY Workshop, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.
James Youell, Peter Coxhead and Keith Firman (2007). Toward single-molecule sensing: a nanoactuator that reports biological events at the single-molecule level. NANO-EXPO, NOTTINGHAM, UK.
James Youell, Peter Coxhead and Keith Firman (2007). Toward single-molecule sensing: a nanoactuator that reports biological events at the single-molecule level. 3rd International Conference on Synthetic Biology (Synthetic Biology 3.0), ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.
James Youell, Peter Coxhead and Keith Firman (2007). Single Molecule Workshop, Marriott Dalmahoy, EDINBURGH, UK.
Keith Firman, and James Youell (2008). A Novel Nano-Tool for Drug Discovery, Drug Discovery and Development of Innovative Therapeutics. World Trade Center, BOSTON USA.
Keith Firman (invited), Marie Weiserova, Olga Kazakova, Cees Dekker, David Bensimon, Paulo Freitas, Ivo Utke and James Youell (2008). A single molecule transducer for drug discovery and biosensing. Nanotech Northern Europe, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.
Dr James Youell (invited) and Dr Keith Firman (2010). A single molecule nanoactuator: toward a device for drug discovery at the limits of sensitivity. Synthetic Biology in Pharma Conference, CAMBRIDGE, UK.
Dr James Youell and Dr Keith Firman (invited) (2010). A single molecule nanoactuator: toward a device for drug discovery at the limits of sensitivity. Functional Nanoscience - Beilstein Bozen Symposium, BOZEN, ITALY.

External Research Funding

Awarding Body	Title of Research Project	Amount Awarded
Nuffield Foundation	A physical analysis of two closely related DNA recognition proteins ^*	£3,500
SERC	Structural basis of DNA specificity in EcoR124 ^*	£5,000
The Wellcome Trust	Localisation of the DNA recognition domains of the Type I Restriction and Modification (R-M) enzyme EcoR124 ^*	£9,837
The Wellcome Trust	Localisation of the DNA recognition domains of the Type I restriction and modification (R-M) enzyme EcoR124 ^*	£19,361
The Wellcome Trust	Recombinational analysis of the DNA specificity domains of Type IC restriction and modification endonucleases^*	£43,562
The Wellcome Trust Travelling Fellowship	Subunit assembly of Type I DNA methyltransferases ^*	£24,779
The Wellcome Trust Collaborative Grant (Czech Republic)	Production of mutations in the hsd genes of EcoR124 that prevent subunit assembly ^*	£12,050
The Wellcome Trust Prize Studentship	A study of domain structure and subunit interactions of Type IC restriction methylases ^*	£47,827
The Wellcome Trust Collaborative Grant (Russia)	Cloning, high level production and purification of the restriction subunit of EcoR124 ^*	£15,743
The Wellcome Trust	A study of deletion mutants of Type IC Restriction-Modification systems that show novel DNA specificity ^*	£82,569
The Wellcome Trust Travelling Fellowship	An analysis of the influence of DNA supercoiling on cleavage by the Type IC restriction endonuclease EcoR124 ^*	£58,383
The Wellcome Trust Collaborative Grant (Czech Republic)	Investigation of how protein-protein interactions influence subunit assembly and cellular localisation of EcoR124I ^*	£57,518
INTAS	Electron microscopy analysis of the interactions of oligonucleotides with DNA as a general tool for gene mapping ^*	£19,531
British Council UK/Israel Collaborative Grant	The study of coupled DNA- and tRNA-restriction systems, focused on a phage T4 factor inhibitory to one and activating the other ^*	£45,000
MRC	Isolation and characterisation of an unusual restriction-modification system from Mycoplasma pulmonis	£32,658
The Wellcome Trust Collaborative Fellowship (Russia)	A study of DNA topology in thermophiles and archaebacteria, and its functional consequences ^*	£46,634
NATO (Travel Grant)	To support above project	£1883
SGM	Vacation Studentship 1996 (undergraduate bursary)	£800
SGM	Vacation Studentship 1997 (undergraduate bursary)	£800
The Wellcome Trust Biomedical Research Collaboration Grant	Subunit assembly mutants of the Type I restriction endonuclease EcoR124I ^*	£7,800
The Wellcome Trust Project Grant	Analysis of an unusual Type I Restriction-Modification system from Mycoplasma pulmonis	£87,587
SGM	Vacation Studentship 2000 (undergraduate bursary)	£1480
Consultancy – Hampshire Scientific Services	Investigation of techniques for screening for GM content in food	£20,000
SGM	Vacation Studentship 2001 (undergraduate bursary)	£1600
Consultancy - BTG International Ltd.	Development of a polynucleotide motor as a commercial nanotechnological project	£34,000
EMBO Research Fellowship	Single-molecule analysis of a DNA-based molecular motor ^*	£1331
SGM International Fellowship	Localisation of the Type IC restriction-modification enzyme EcoR124I in liposomes	£1700
EC 5th Framework Grant (FET-OPEN)	A Molecular Magnetic Switch that links the Biological and Silicon Worlds ^*	€1,974,000
Wellcome Trust Showcase Award (Co-worker)	"Trojan Horse" - nano-scale packaging, separation and delivery device	£125,000
SGM	Vacation Studentship 2002 (undergraduate bursary)	£1600
SEPOC (commercialisation grant)	A self-assembling multisubunit biosensor for toxicity testing.	£49,020
EPSRC	NETWORK: Molecular machines in nanotechnology ^*	£63,053
EC 6^th Framework NEST-Pathfinder (Synthetic Biology)	BioNano-Switch - A Biological Nanoactuator as a Molecular Switch for Biosensing ^*	€1,992,610
PoCKeT (Commercialisation grant)	Development of a nanoactuator / molecular dynamo for bionanotechnology and market assessment of the bionanotechnology market	£50,000
NanoSci-E+ (EPSRC) (EUROCORES)	Molecular Machines that use structured DNA for directed movement	£310,000