Staff Profiles

Prof Peter Crowley

B.Sc.,Ph.D.

Contact Details

Professor
Orbsen Buildng, Laboratory 211
School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
University of Galway
T: +353 91 49 2480

Biography

After graduating with first class honours in chemistry Peter joined the laboratory of Prof. G. W. Canters at Leiden University, The Netherlands. Working with his advisor Prof. M. Ubbink, he used NMR spectroscopy to study transient protein interactions involved in electron transport. This research was summarized in Accounts of Chemical Research (2003).

From the Netherlands Peter headed south for sunnier climes. With a Marie Curie Postdoctoral fellowship he joined the lab of Prof. M. A. Carrondo at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. During this time he further developed his interest in molecular recognition. In particular, he demonstrated the importance of cation-pi interactions in protein-protein interfaces.

In 2006, Peter returned to Ireland, working as a lecturer in Biochemistry at University College Dublin, and since 2008 as a lecturer in Chemistry at Galway. He was promoted in 2014 to Senior Lecturer and in 2017 to Personal Professor. Current interests include protein assembly using the tools of supramolecular chemistry. For more information see publications. His research on protein - cailxarene recognition and assembly was summarized in Accounts of Chemical Research (2022).

Research Interests

- Molecular Recognition

- Protein Interactions
- Self Assembly

- Supramolecular Chemistry

- Macrocycles

- Structural Biology

- NMR spectroscopy / X-ray crystallography
- In-cell NMR spectroscopy
- PEGylation

Video by Ciara Kyne and CELT on protein interactions in cell extracts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_549N4wHCjk

Highlight of our Nature Chemistry 2012 paper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOTWEPF925c

Video by James Ward and William Smith for "distil life' exhibition in 2011
https://vimeo.com/32684138

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	'Tuning Protein Frameworks via Auxiliary Supramolecular Interactions' Engilberge S, Rennie ML, Dumont E, Crowley PB. (2019) 'Tuning Protein Frameworks via Auxiliary Supramolecular Interactions'. ACS Nano, [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2019)	'Supramolecular stacking in a high: Z ′ calix[8]arene-porphyrin assembly' Jimi M. Alex, Patrick McArdle and Peter B. Crowley (2019) 'Supramolecular stacking in a high: Z ′ calix[8]arene-porphyrin assembly'. Crystengcomm, [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2019)	'A Thermodynamic Model of Auto-regulated Protein Assembly by a Supramolecular Scaffold' Rennie, ML;Crowley, PB (2019) 'A Thermodynamic Model of Auto-regulated Protein Assembly by a Supramolecular Scaffold'. Chemphyschem, 20 :1011-1017 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2019)	'Calixarene-mediated assembly of a small antifungal protein' Alex, JM,Rennie, ML,Engilberge, S,Lehoczki, G,Dorottya, H,Fizil, A,Batta, G,Crowley, PB (2019) 'Calixarene-mediated assembly of a small antifungal protein'. Iucrj, 6 :238-247 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2018)	'Phosphonated Calixarene as a Molecular Glue for Protein Crystallization' Alex, JM,Rennie, ML,Volpi, S,Sansone, F,Casnati, A,Crowley, PB (2018) 'Phosphonated Calixarene as a Molecular Glue for Protein Crystallization'. Crystal Growth & Design, 18 :2467-2473 [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Cucurbit[7]uril-Dimethyllysine Recognition in a Model Protein' Guagnini, F,Antonik, PM,Rennie, ML,O'Byrne, P,Khan, AR,Pinalli, R,Dalcanale, E,Crowley, PB (2018) 'Cucurbit[7]uril-Dimethyllysine Recognition in a Model Protein'. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 57 :7126-7130 [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Auto-regulated Protein Assembly on a Supramolecular Scaffold' Rennie, ML,Fox, GC,Perez, J,Crowley, PB (2018) 'Auto-regulated Protein Assembly on a Supramolecular Scaffold'. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 57 :13764-13769 [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Protein Recognition by Functionalized Sulfonatocalix[4]arenes' Doolan, AM,Rennie, ML,Crowley, PB (2018) 'Protein Recognition by Functionalized Sulfonatocalix[4]arenes'. Chemistry-A European Journal, 24 :984-991 [DOI] [Details]
	(2017)	'Protein Dimerization on a Phosphonated Calix[6]arene Disc' Rennie, ML,Doolan, AM,Raston, CL,Crowley, PB (2017) 'Protein Dimerization on a Phosphonated Calix[6]arene Disc'. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 56 :5517-5521 [DOI] [Details]
	(2017)	'Protein charge determination and implications for interactions in cell extracts' Kyne, C,Jordon, K,Filoti, DI,Laue, TM,Crowley, PB (2017) 'Protein charge determination and implications for interactions in cell extracts'. Protein Science, 26 :258-267 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Grasping the nature of the cell interior: from Physiological Chemistry to Chemical Biology' Kyne C, Crowley PB. (2016) 'Grasping the nature of the cell interior: from Physiological Chemistry to Chemical Biology'. Febs J, [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Protein Camouflage: Supramolecular Anion Recognition by Ubiquitin' Mallon, M,Dutt, S,Schrader, T,Crowley, PB (2016) 'Protein Camouflage: Supramolecular Anion Recognition by Ubiquitin'. Chembiochem, 17 :774-783 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Noncovalent PEGylation via Lectin-Glycopolymer Interactions' Antonik, PM,Eissa, AM,Round, AR,Cameron, NR,Crowley, PB (2016) 'Noncovalent PEGylation via Lectin-Glycopolymer Interactions'. Biomacromolecules, 17 :2719-2725 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Anomer-Specific Recognition and Dynamics in a Fucose-Binding Lectin' Antonik, PM,Volkov, AN,Broder, UN,Lo Re, D,van Nuland, NAJ,Crowley, PB (2016) 'Anomer-Specific Recognition and Dynamics in a Fucose-Binding Lectin'. Biochemistry, 55 :1195-1203 [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'Structural study of a small molecule receptor bound to dimethyllysine in lysozyme' McGovern, RE,Snarr, BD,Lyons, JA,McFarlane, J,Whiting, AL,Paci, I,Hof, F,Crowley, PB (2015) 'Structural study of a small molecule receptor bound to dimethyllysine in lysozyme'. Chemical Science, 6 :442-449 [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'Specific ion effects on macromolecular interactions in Escherichia coli extracts' Kyne, C,Ruhle, B,Gautier, VW,Crowley, PB (2015) 'Specific ion effects on macromolecular interactions in Escherichia coli extracts'. Protein Science, 24 :310-318 [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'Microscale Crystals of Cytochromec and Calixarene on Electrodes: Interprotein Electron Transfer between Defined Sites' McGovern, RE,Feifel, SC,Lisdat, F,Crowley, PB (2015) 'Microscale Crystals of Cytochromec and Calixarene on Electrodes: Interprotein Electron Transfer between Defined Sites'. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 54 :6356-6359 [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'Structure of a PEGylated protein reveals a highly porous double-helical assembly' Cattani, G,Vogeley, L,Crowley, PB (2015) 'Structure of a PEGylated protein reveals a highly porous double-helical assembly'. Nature Chemistry, 7 :823-828 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'Study of Cytochrome c-DNA Interaction - Evaluation of Binding Sites on the Redox Protein' Wettstein, C,Kyne, C,Doolan, AM,Mohwald, H,Crowley, PB,Lisdat, F (2014) 'Study of Cytochrome c-DNA Interaction - Evaluation of Binding Sites on the Redox Protein'. Nanoscale, 6 :13779-13786 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'Protein assembly mediated by sulfonatocalix[4]arene' McGovern, RE,McCarthy, AA,Crowley, PB (2014) 'Protein assembly mediated by sulfonatocalix[4]arene'. Chemical Communications, 50 :10412-10415 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'Physicochemical Properties of Cells and Their Effects on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs)' Theillet, FX,Binolfi, A,Frembgen-Kesner, T,Hingorani, K,Sarkar, M,Kyne, C,Li, CG,Crowley, PB,Gierasch, L,Pielak, GJ,Elcock, AH,Gershenson, A,Selenko, P (2014) 'Physicochemical Properties of Cells and Their Effects on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs)'. Chemical Reviews, 114 :6661-6714 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Simple and inexpensive incorporation of (19)F-Tryptophan for protein NMR spectroscopy' Crowley PB, Kyne C, Monteith WB. (2012) 'Simple and inexpensive incorporation of (19)F-Tryptophan for protein NMR spectroscopy'. Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), [Details]
	(2012)	'Simple and inexpensive incorporation of F-19-Tryptophan for protein NMR spectroscopy' Crowley, PB;Kyne, C;Monteith, WB (2012) 'Simple and inexpensive incorporation of F-19-Tryptophan for protein NMR spectroscopy'. Chemical Communications, 48 :10681-10683 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Protein camouflage in cytochrome c-calixarene complexes' McGovern, RE;Fernandes, H;Khan, AR;Power, NP;Crowley, PB (2012) 'Protein camouflage in cytochrome c-calixarene complexes'. Nature Chemistry, 4 :527-533 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Protein camouflage in cytochrome c-calixarene complexes' McGovern, RE,Fernandes, H,Khan, AR,Power, NP,Crowley, PB (2012) 'Protein camouflage in cytochrome c-calixarene complexes'. Nature Chemistry, 4 :527-533 [DOI] [Details]
	(2011)	'Protein Interactions in the Escherichia coli Cytosol: An Impediment to In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy' Crowley, PB,Chow, E,Papkovskaia, T (2011) 'Protein Interactions in the Escherichia coli Cytosol: An Impediment to In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy'. Chembiochem, 12 :1043-1048 [DOI] [Details]
	(2011)	'Protein Interactions in the Escherichia coli Cytosol: An Impediment to In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy' Crowley,P.B.,Chow, E.,Papkovskaia, T. (2011) 'Protein Interactions in the Escherichia coli Cytosol: An Impediment to In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy'. ChemBioChem, 12 (7):1043-1048 [DOI] [Details]
	(2010)	'Titration_DB: Storage and analysis of NMR-monitored protein pH titration curves' Farrell, D;Miranda, ES;Webb, H;Georgi, N;Crowley, PB;McIntosh, LP;Nielsen, JE (2010) 'Titration_DB: Storage and analysis of NMR-monitored protein pH titration curves'. Proteins-Structure Function And Bioinformatics, 78 :843-857 [DOI] [Details]
	(2010)	'Titration_DB: Storage analysis of NMR-monitored protein pH titration curves' Farrell,D., Sá-Mira,E., Webb,H, Georgi, N., Crowley,P.B., McIntosh,L.P., Nielsen,J.E. (2010) 'Titration_DB: Storage analysis of NMR-monitored protein pH titration curves'. Proteins: Structure, Function And Bioformatics, 78 :843-857 [Details]
	(2009)	'Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of a beta-Sandwich Protein' Crowley, PB;Matias, PM;Khan, AR;Roessle, M;Svergun, DI (2009) 'Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of a beta-Sandwich Protein'. Chemistry-A European Journal, 15 :12672-12680 [DOI] [Details]
	(2009)	'Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of a beta-Sandwich Protein' Crowley, PB,Matias, PM,Khan, AR,Roessle, M,Svergun, DI (2009) 'Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of a beta-Sandwich Protein'. Chemistry-A European Journal, 15 :12672-12680 [DOI] [Details]
	(2008)	'Interaction tuning of the active site properties of metalloproteins' Yanagisawa, S.,Dennison, C.,Crowley, P.B.,Firbank, S.J.,Lawler, A.T.,Hunter, D.M.,McFarlane, W.,Li, C.,Kohzuma, T.,Banfield, M.J. (2008) 'Interaction tuning of the active site properties of metalloproteins'. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130 (46) [Details]
	(2008)	'Regulation of protein function: Crystal packing interfaces and conformational dimerization' Crowley, P.B.,Matias, P.M.,Mi, H.,Firbank, S.J.,Banfield, M.J.,Dennison, C. (2008) 'Regulation of protein function: Crystal packing interfaces and conformational dimerization'. Biochemistry, 47 (25) [Details]
	(2008)	'Quaternary Structure of Flavorubredoxin as Revealed by Synchrotron Radiation Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering' Petoukhov, M.V.,Vicente, J.B.,Crowley, P.B.,Carrondo, M.A.,Teixeira, M.,Svergun, D.I. (2008) 'Quaternary Structure of Flavorubredoxin as Revealed by Synchrotron Radiation Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering'. Structure, 16 (9) [Details]
	(2008)	'Protein surface recognition: Structural characterisation of cytochrome c-porphyrin complexes' Crowley,P.B.,Ganji, P.,Ibrahim, H. (2008) 'Protein surface recognition: Structural characterisation of cytochrome c-porphyrin complexes'. ChemBioChem, 9 (7) [Details]
	(2008)	'NMR spectroscopy revceals cytochrome c-poly(ethylene glycol) interactions' Crowley,P.B.,Brett, K.,Muldoon, J. (2008) 'NMR spectroscopy revceals cytochrome c-poly(ethylene glycol) interactions'. ChemBioChem, 9 (5) [Details]
	(2007)	'Transient protein interactions of cytochrome f and the phytocyanin umecyanin' Sato,K.,Crowley,P.B.,Dennison,C. (2007) 'Transient protein interactions of cytochrome f and the phytocyanin umecyanin'. ChemBioChem, 8 :732-735 [Details]
	(2005)	'Transient homodimer interactions studied using the electron self-exchange reaction' Sato, K.,Crowley, P.B.,Dennison, C. (2005) 'Transient homodimer interactions studied using the electron self-exchange reaction'. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280 (19) [Details]
	(2005)	'Different modes of interaction in cyanobacterial complexes of plastocyanin and cytochrome f' Diaz-Moreno,I.,Diaz-Quintana,A.,De La Rosa, M.A.,Crowley,P.B.,Ubbink, M. (2005) 'Different modes of interaction in cyanobacterial complexes of plastocyanin and cytochrome f'. Biochemistry, 44 (9) [Details]
	(2005)	'Cation-pi interactions in protein-protein interfaces' Crowley,P.B.,Golovin,A. (2005) 'Cation-pi interactions in protein-protein interfaces'. Proteins: Structure, Function And Bioformatics, 59 :231-239 [Details]
	(2004)	'The Architecture of the Binding Site in Redox Protein Complexes: Implications for Fast Dissociation' Crowley,P.B.,Carrondo, M.A. (2004) 'The Architecture of the Binding Site in Redox Protein Complexes: Implications for Fast Dissociation'. Proteins: Structure, Function and Genetics, 55 (3) [Details]
	(2004)	'The parsley plastocyanin-turnip cytochrome f complex: A structurally distorted but kinetically functional acidic patch' Crowley, P.B.,Hunter, D.M.,Sato, K.,McFarlane, W.,Dennison, C. (2004) 'The parsley plastocyanin-turnip cytochrome f complex: A structurally distorted but kinetically functional acidic patch'. Biochemical Journal, 378 (1) [Details]
	(2003)	'Close Encounters of the Transient Kind: Protein Interactions in the Photosynthetic Redox Chain Investigated by NMR Spectroscopy' Crowley, P.B.,Ubbink, M. (2003) 'Close Encounters of the Transient Kind: Protein Interactions in the Photosynthetic Redox Chain Investigated by NMR Spectroscopy'. Accounts of Chemical Research, 36 (10) [Details]
	(2002)	'The ternary complex of cytochrome f and cytochrome c: Identification of a second binding site and competition for plastocyanin binding' Crowley, P.B.,Rabe, K.S.,Worrall, J.A.R.,Canters, G.W.,Ubbink, M. (2002) 'The ternary complex of cytochrome f and cytochrome c: Identification of a second binding site and competition for plastocyanin binding'. ChemBioChem, 3 (6) [Details]
	(2002)	'The interactions of cyanobacterial cytochrome c6 and cytochrome f, characterized by NMR' Crowley, P.B.,Diaz-Quintana, A.,Molina-Heredia, F.P.,Nieto, P.,Sutter, M.,Haehnel, W.,De la Rosa, M.A.,Ubbink, M. (2002) 'The interactions of cyanobacterial cytochrome c6 and cytochrome f, characterized by NMR'. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277 (50) [Details]
	(2002)	'Plastocyanin-cytochrome f interactions: The influence of hydrophobic patch mutations studied by NMR spectroscopy' Crowley,P.B.,Vintonenko, N.,Bullerjahn,G.S,Ubbink,M. (2002) 'Plastocyanin-cytochrome f interactions: The influence of hydrophobic patch mutations studied by NMR spectroscopy'. Biochemistry, 41 :15698-15705 [Details]
	(2002)	'Co-operative ortho-effects on the Wittig reaction Interpretation of stereoselectivity in the reaction of ortho-halo-substituted benzaldehydes and benzylidenetriphenyl-phosphoranes' Dunne,E.C.,Coyne,E.J.,Crowley,P.B.,Gilheany,D.G. (2002) 'Co-operative ortho-effects on the Wittig reaction Interpretation of stereoselectivity in the reaction of ortho-halo-substituted benzaldehydes and benzylidenetriphenyl-phosphoranes'. Tetrahedron Lett, 43 :2449-2453 [Details]
	(2002)	'Myoglobin and cytochrome b5: A nuclear magnetic resonance study of a highly dynamic protein complex' Worrall, J.A.R.,Liu, Y.,Crowley, P.B.,Nocek, J.M.,Hoffman, B.M.,Ubbink, M. (2002) 'Myoglobin and cytochrome b5: A nuclear magnetic resonance study of a highly dynamic protein complex'. Biochemistry, 41 (39) [Details]
	(2001)	'Hydrophobic interactions in a cyanobacterial plastocyanin - Cytochrome f complex' Crowley,P.B.,Otting, G.,Schlarb-Ridley, B.G.,Canters, G.W.,Ubbink, M. (2001) 'Hydrophobic interactions in a cyanobacterial plastocyanin - Cytochrome f complex'. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 123 (43) [Details]
	(2000)	'Angle restraints in protein backbones from dipole-dipole cross-correlation between 1HN-15N and 1HN-1H vectors' Crowley, P.,Ubbink,M.,Otting.G. (2000) 'Angle restraints in protein backbones from dipole-dipole cross-correlation between 1HN-15N and 1HN-1H vectors'. Journal Of The American Chemical Society, 122 :2968-2969 [Details]

Abstract

	Year	Publication
	(2015)	Effects of cell-like infrastructures on transient protein interactions. Kyne, C,Crowley, P (2015) Effects of cell-like infrastructures on transient protein interactions. Abstract [Details]
	(2015)	Selective Recognition and Assembly in Protein-Small molecule Interactions. Doolan, AM,Jurgens, MC,Khan, AR,Crowley, PB (2015) Selective Recognition and Assembly in Protein-Small molecule Interactions. Abstract [Details]

Editorial

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	Structural studies of calixarene-mediated noncovalent PEGylation. Mummidivarapu, VVS,Rennie, ML,Crowley, PB (2017) Structural studies of calixarene-mediated noncovalent PEGylation. Editorial [Details]
	(2017)	NMR spectroscopic analysis of protein-surface interactions - The effect of PEGylation. Ramberg, KO,Antonik, PM,Crowley, PB (2017) NMR spectroscopic analysis of protein-surface interactions - The effect of PEGylation. Editorial [Details]

Reviews

	Year	Publication
	(2016)	Grasping the nature of the cell interior: from Physiological Chemistry to Chemical Biology. Kyne, C;Crowley, PB (2016) Grasping the nature of the cell interior: from Physiological Chemistry to Chemical Biology. HOBOKEN: WILEY Reviews [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	Physicochemical Properties of Cells and Their Effects on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs). Theillet, FX;Binolfi, A;Frembgen-Kesner, T;Hingorani, K;Sarkar, M;Kyne, C;Li, CG;Crowley, PB;Gierasch, L;Pielak, GJ;Elcock, AH;Gershenson, A;Selenko, P (2014) Physicochemical Properties of Cells and Their Effects on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs). WASHINGTON: AMER CHEMICAL SOC Reviews [DOI] [Details]

Teaching Interests

Peter contributes to various lecture and practical courses in Chemistry, including:

CH438 - Protein interactions and structural biology (12 lectures)

CH4109 - Protein-based therapeutics (12 lectures)
CH311 - Protein structure and natural products (12 lectures)
CH333 - Basic bioinformatics, UV/vis characterization and crystallization of proteins (3 practicals)

CH3101 - Computers in chemical research (2 practicals)

CH202 - Organic chemistry (4 practicals)

1BPC - First year tutorials (12 classes)

Recent Postgraduate Students

Graduation	Name	Degree	Primary Supervisor
2014	Roise Mc Govern	PhD	Y
2015	Madeleine Mallon	Msc	Y
2015	Giada Cattani	PhD	Y

Internal Collaborators

	Name	Description of Collaboration
	Internal Collaborators	Dr. Andrew FlausProf. Kevin Sullivan

External Collaborators

	Name	Organisation / Institute	Country	Description of Collaboration
	External Collaborators			Prof. Christopher Dennison (Newcastle University) Prof. Jan van Hest (Radboud University Nijmegen) Dr. Amir Khan (Trinity College Dublin) Dr. Jens Nielsen (University College Dublin) Prof. Gary Pielak (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Dr. Dmitri Svergun (EMBL, Hamburg)