Vuksanovic, Nemanja
Year of expected graduation: 2020
Research Lab: Silvaggi Lab
Major Area of Focus: Biochemistry
Minor Area of Focus: Bioanalytical method development
Previously Attended:
M.S. Chemistry (Materials/Polymer Chemistry) 2013-2015
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
B.A. Chemistry (Magna Cum Laude) 2010-2013
Luther College, Decorah, IA
Why I like Chemistry:
Because it gives us an understanding of how biological systems function at the molecular level, and plays a key role in the process of drug discovery.
Why I chose the Chemistry and Biochemistry Program at UW-Milwaukee:
I chose this program because it fosters a highly collaborative environment thanks to the newly established Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery, and it provided me with an opportunity to use state of the art analytical instrumentation at the Shimadzu Laboratory for Advanced and Applied Analytical Chemistry.
Favorite things to do in Milwaukee:
Becoming familiar with local bands by attending attic/basement shows, visiting craft breweries and beer gardens, rock climbing, kayaking and spending time on Lake Michigan.
Research Goals:
My research is focused on structural and functional characterization of enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of non-proteinogenic amino acid L-enduracididine (L-End), which is found in a number of cyclic peptide antibiotics, such as teixobactin, mannopeptimycin and enduracidin. The first enzyme in the pathway is MppP, an unprecedented PLP-dependent L-Arg oxidase that catalyzes a 4-electron oxidation to give 4-hydroxy-2-ketoarginine. I am using a variety of techniques such as X-ray crystallography and quench/stopped-flow based kinetic studies in order to gain insight into mechanistic details of this intriguing enzyme.
Publications:
Virdi, R. S.; Bavisotto, V.R.; Hopper C.N.; Vuksanovic, N.; Melkonian R.T.; Silvaggi N.R.; Frick D.N.; Discovery of Drug-like Ligands for the Mac1 Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp3, SLAS Discovery 2020, Just Accepted
Vuksanovic, N.; Zhu, X.; Serrano, D. A.; Siitonen, V.; Metsa-Ketela, M.; Melancon, C. E., 3rd; Silvaggi, N. R., Structural characterization of three noncanonical NTF2-like superfamily proteins: implications for polyketide biosynthesis. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2020, 76 (Pt 8), 372-383.
Featured on the cover of the August 2020 issue
Frick, D. N.; Virdi, R. S.; Vuksanovic, N.; Dahal, N.; Silvaggi, N. R., Molecular Basis for ADP-Ribose Binding to the Mac1 Domain of SARS-CoV-2 nsp3. Biochemistry 2020, 59 (28), 2608-2615.
Third most accessed article for August 2020
Han, L.; Vuksanovic, N.; Oehm, S. A.; Fenske, T. G.; Schwabacher, A. W.; Silvaggi, N. R., Streptomyces wadayamensis MppP is a PLP-Dependent Oxidase, Not an Oxygenase. Biochemistry 2018, 57 (23), 3252-3264.
Conference Abstracts and Proceedings:
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “New Insights into the Mechanism of the L-Arginine Oxidase MppP from Streptomyces wadayamensis,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL. October 26, 2019.
Dante A. Serrano, Nemanja Vuksanovic, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Nitric oxide trapping of carbon-centered radicals in an enzyme active site,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL. October 26, 2019.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Lanlan Han, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “On the mechanism of the L-Arginine Oxidase MppP from Streptomyces Wadayamensis.” Enzyme Mechanisms Conference, New Orleans, LA. January 6-9, 2019.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “On the Mechanism of the L-Arginine Oxidase MppP from Streptomyces wadayamensis,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. October 20, 2018.
Dante A. Serrano, Nemanja Vuksanovic, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Toward a Mass-Spectrometry-Based Arginine Oxidase Activity Assay,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. October 20, 2018.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Lanlan Han, and Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “On the Mechanism of the PLP-Dependent L-Arginine Oxidase MppP from Streptomyces wadayamensis.” Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways Gordon Research Conference, Waterville Valley Resort, Waterville Valley, NH. July 22-28, 2018.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Brandom Patterson, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Engineering E. coli glyoxylate reductase with high substrate specificity,” UWM Chemistry Research Symposium, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI. May 22, 2018
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes,” ACS Milwaukee Section Meeting, Milwaukee, WI. May 3, 2018.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Loyola University, Chicago, IL. October 14, 2017..
Brandon Patterson, Nemanja Vuksanovic, Nicholas Silvaggi. “Engineering Glyoxylate Reductase’s Active Site,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Loyola University, Chicago, IL. October 14, 2017.
Anamarie Tomaich, William (Parker) May, Nemanja Vuksanovic, and Nicholas Silvaggi. “Assigning functions for two “hypothetical proteins” from Pseudomonas sp. RIT-PI-q,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, Loyola University, Chicago, IL. October 14, 2017.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes,” 44th UW System Chemistry Faculties Meeting, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI. September 29-30, 2017
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes,” UWM Chemistry Research Symposium, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI. May 23, 2017
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes,” The FASEB Journal 2017, 31 (1_supplement), 766.8-766.8
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Deciphering the Function of NTF2-Like Proteins Associated with Polyketide Biosynthesis in Actinomycetes.” ASBMB Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. April 22-26, 2017
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Xuechen Zhu, Charles E. Melançon III, Nicholas R. Silvaggi. “Structural studies of type II polyketide cyclases from Actinobacteria,” Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL. October 1, 2016
Bradley M. Chamberlain, Nemanja Vuksanovic, Logan Grado. “Titanium Complexes Bearing Optically Active Amidoalkoxides as Lactide Polymerization Catalysts,” Inaugural Conference on Sustainable Polymers (American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry), Safety Harbor, FL, 2013
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Logan Grado, Bradley M. Chamberlain, Adam R. Johnson. “New Corn-Based Plastics from Two Different Polymerization Technologies,” Luther College Research Symposium, Decorah, IA. May, 2013.
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Logan Grado, Bradley M. Chamberlain, Adam R. Johnson. “Polymerization of D,L-lactide by titanium amidoalkoxide complexes,” National Conference On Undergraduate Research, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI. April 11-13, 2013
Chloe Gumpert, Nicole Woodson, Peter Douglas, Timothy Cutler, Nemanja Vuksanovic, Logan Grado, Bradley M. Chamberlain. “Substituted Glycolides Derived from Fatty Acids as Potential Monomers for the Production of Biodegradable Polymers” National Conference On Undergraduate Research, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI. April 11-13, 2013
Nemanja Vuksanovic, Eric Eitrheim, Bradley M. Chamberlain. “New Corn-Based Plastics from Two Different Polymerization Technologies” Luther College Research Symposium, Decorah, IA. May, 2011.
Awards and Honors:
Sosnovsky Dissertation Prize, 2020
Graduate Student Excellence Fellowship, 2019
UWM Sosnovsky Award for Graduate Research- 2nd Place Poster, 2018
UWM Graduate School Travel Grant 2019
UWM Graduate Council Travel Award 2017
Chancellor’s Award 2015-2020
Phi Beta Kappa Society 2013
Pi Mu Epsilon (National Mathematics Honor Society) 2013
American Chemical Society Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry 2012
John G. And Mildred Breiland Endowed Scholarship (Excellence in Chemistry) 2012
Luther College Dean's List 2010-2013
Luther College Preus Presidential Scholarship 2010-2013