Resistance towards the class of tetracycline antibiotics can occur through three mechanisms: 1) active efflux, 2) ribosomal protection, and 3) enzyme degradation.  Out of these three known antibiotic resistance mechanisms, enzyme degradation is the rarest and has been the least studied. 

My current project focuses on TetX, an enzyme that degrades tetracycline antibiotics. With Kasia, I hope to solve the crystal structure of TetX as well as characterize TetX mutants through cloning, evolution experiments, protein purification, and activity assays.