Cute molecules and the scientists who adore them: Sofia Rucli
Sofia Rucli, postdoc at EMBL Rome talks about her favourite protein OGT, the cell’s ‘candy enzyme’
Sofia Rucli from EMBL Rome imagines the enzyme OGT (Uniprot Q8CGY8), the subject of her PhD, as an elephant-shaped ‘candy enzyme’ that dispenses sweetness to cellular proteins. Credit: Isabel Romero Calvo (illustration), Rossana De Lorenzi (photography)/EMBL
The cute side of science
Behind every discovery lies a story. Often this story is of a scientist and their passion and awe for nature’s design.
We’ve asked some of our scientists, from across EMBL sites, to talk about the molecules that capture their imaginations and make them smile. These stories reveal the surprising beauty, humour, and charm in the molecular structures that power life itself. We invite you to explore them and fall in love with the molecules, like these scientists have.
“A protein that’s special to me is O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). It’s the protagonist of my PhD project, during which we’ve been enemies at times and good friends at others. OGT is an enzyme that attaches a sugar molecule called O-GlcNAc to proteins. I like to picture it as a ‘candy man’ or a ‘candy enzyme’ that dispenses sweetness to cellular proteins. Without its ‘sweet’ job, the cell can’t survive. What a nice metaphor for how a touch of sweetness, akin to nice gestures and kindness, is essential for thriving in everyday life!
“The molecular structure of OGT makes me think of an elephant head. Its ‘trunk’ hugs its target before depositing its sweet group onto it.
“Fun fact: recently, I discovered an Instagram account called ‘iam_OGT’. I first thought it must have been by another scientist. Then, I realised it’s actually an electronic music artist. One of his songs is called ‘Hustle & Flow’, which I think perfectly describes my journey with the OGT protein. You just need to learn from the hustle and follow the flow in science, and it will pay off in the end.”
Sofia Rucli (Italy), Postdoctoral Fellow, Boulard Group, EMBL Rome
