Zehra Sayers
E-mail : zehra.sayers
sabanciuniv.edu
Education :
B.Sc. Physics, Bosporous University, 1974; Ph.D. Biophysics, University of London, 1978.
Areas of Interest :
Molecular biology and investigation of structure of biological molecules using synchrotron X -ray scattering; investigation of structure-function relationships in fibrous molecules including chromatin, actin, intermediate filaments; investigation of structures of metal-binding proteinsAwards :
- Rammal Aaward - European Association for Advancement of Science and Technology 2018
Membership :
Biophysical Society, American Association for Advancement in Science, Turkish Biophysical Society, Science Academy, Turkey.Publications :
| Article |
| Doğru, Ekin Kestevur and Sakallı, Tuğçe and Liu, Gökşin and Sayers, Zehra and Surmeli, Nur Basak (2024) "Small angle X-ray scattering analysis of thermophilic cytochrome P450 CYP119 and the effects of the N-terminal histidine tag", International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Vol.265, No.2 (SCI) |
| Choy, Joseph and Peltz, Kiera and Sayers, Zehra and Spaldin, Nicola A. and Wells, Mary A. (2024) "Reimagining undergraduate teaching in materials science and engineering", Nature Reviews Materials, Vol.9, No.2, 95-99 (SCI) |
| Liu, Gökşin and Ekmen, Erhan and Jalalypour, Farzaneh and Mertens, Haydyn D. T. and Jeffries, Cy M. and Svergun, Dmitri and Atılgan, Ali Rana and Atılgan, Canan and Sayers, Zehra (2023) "Conformational multiplicity of bacterial ferric binding protein revealed by small angle x-ray scattering and molecular dynamics calculations", Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.158, No.8 (SCI) |
| Kaplan Türköz, Burcu and Aktürk, Anıl and Sayers, Zehra (2020) "Oligomerization of A. thaliana heterotrimeric G protein subunits AGB1 and AGG2 in vitro", Protein Journal, Vol.39, No.5, 563-573 (SCI) |
| Bülbül, Gonca and Liu, Gökşin and Vithalapur, Namrata Rao and Atılgan, Canan and Sayers, Zehra and Pourmand, Nader (2019) "Employment of iron-binding protein from Haemophilus influenzae in functional nanopipettes for iron monitoring", ACS Chemical Neuroscience (SI), Vol.10, No.4, 1970-1977 (SCI) |
| Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Ozturk Gökçe, Zahide Neslihan and Metin, Banu and Sayers, Zehra (2018) "Functional analysis of Triticum durum type 1 metallothionein gene (dMT) in response to varying levels of cadmium", Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, Vol.23, No.1, 140-147 (NA) |
| Sayers, Zehra and Avşar, Bihter and Çolak, Ersoy and Karmous, Ines (2016) "Application of advanced x-ray methods in life sciences". Published Online First http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.05.008 |
| LLwellyn-Smith, Chris and Sayers, Zehra (2015) "SESAME: a bright hope for the Middle East", Cern Courier (NA) |
| Vestergaard, Bente and Sayers, Zehra (2014) "Investigating increasingly complex macromolecular systems with small-angle X-ray scattering", International Union of Crystallography Journal (IUCrJ), Vol.1, No.6, 523-529 (NA) |
| Tiziana, Centofanti and Sayers, Zehra and Cabello-Conejo, Maria Isabel and Kidd, Petra and Nishizawa, Naoko K. and Kakei, Yusuke and Davis, Allen P. and Sicher, Richard C. and Chaney, Rufus L. (2013) "Xylem exudate composition and root-to-shoot nickel translocation in Alyssum species", Plant and Soil, Vol.373, No.1-2, 59-75 (SCI) |
| Sayers, Zehra and Özcan, Zuhal (2013) "Attitudes towards teaching evolution in Turkey", APS News, Vol.22, No.6 (NA) |
| Sayers, Zehra (2013) "Uncharted territory, untapped potential", Science Omega Review Europe, No.issue (NA) |
| Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra (2009) "Heterelogous expression of plant genes", International Journal of Plant Genomics (NA) |
| Öztürk, Levent and Yazıcı, Mustafa Atilla and Yücel, Cemal and Torun, Ayfer and Çekiç, Cemal and Bağcı, Ahmet and Özkan, Hakan and Braun, Hans-Joachim and Sayers, Zehra and Çakmak, İsmail (2006) "Concentration and localization of zinc during seed development and germination in wheat", Physiologia plantarum, Vol.128, No.1, 144-152 (SCI) |
| Sayers, Zehra and Özdaş, Engin and Özbey, Süheyla (2005) "Third SESAME users meeting", Synchrotron Radiation News, Vol.18, No.2, 14-15 (SCI) |
| Bilecen, Kıvanç and Öztürk, Ümit Hasan and Duru, Adil Doğanay and Sütlü, Tolga and Petoukhov, Maxim V. and Svergun, Dimitri I. and Koch, Michel H. J. and Sezerman, Uğur and Çakmak, İsmail and Sayers, Zehra (2005) "Triticum durum metallothionein: isolation of the gene and structural characterization of the protein using solution scattering and molecular modeling", Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol.280, No.14, 13701-13711 (SCI) |
| Einfeld, D. and Hasnain, S. S. and Sayers, Zehra and Schopper, H. and Winick, H. (2004) "SESAME, a third generation synchrotron light source for the Middle East region", Radiation physics and chemistry, Vol.71, No.3-4, 693-700 (SCI) |
| Sayers, Zehra and Brouillon, Patricia and Svergun, Dimitri I. and Zielenkiewicz, Piotr and Koch, Michel H. J. (1999) "Biochemical and structural characterization of recombinant copper-metallothionein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae", European Journal of Biochemistry, Vol.262, No.3, 858-865 (SCI) |
| Book Section / Chapter |
| Sayers, Zehra, "3D Macromolecular structure analyses: applications in plant proteins", Brilliant Light in Life and Material Sciences, Berlin: Springer 2007, 135-146 |
| Papers in Conference Proceedings |
| Atılgan, Canan and Liu, Gökşin and Jalalpour, Farzaneh and Ekmen, Erhan and Berksöz, Melike and Atılgan, Ali Rana and Sayers, Zehra, "Increased ionic strength triggers multiple conformations in both apo and holo forms of bacterial ferric binding protein", Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Elsevier, February 2023, 444A-445A |
| Liu, Gökşin and Atılgan, Canan and Sayers, Zehra, "Structure-function investigation of haemophilus influenzae ferric binding protein under changing environmental conditions", 64th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Biophysical Society, February 2020, 335A-335A |
| Liu, Gökşin and Altun, Ezgi and Ünal, Süleyman Mert and Atılgan, Canan and Sayers, Zehra, "Characterization and iron binding dynamics of haemophilus influenzae ferric binding protein", 63rd Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Biophysical Society, February 2019, 182A-182A |
| Kaneko Göğüş, Yuki and Bakkal, Emine Süphan and Sayers, Zehra, "Active learning in university: an approach to a freshman science course", 46th SEFI Annual Conference 2018, SEFI - Société Européenne pour la Formation des Ingénieurs, October 2018, 944-951 |
| Liu, Gökşin and Atılgan, Canan and Sayers, Zehra, "Structural characterization of haemophilus influenzae ferric bindind protein in different environmental conditions", XVII International Small Angle Scattering Conference - SAS2018, ANL, October 2018 |
| Sayers, Zehra, "International Cooperation for Enhancing Nuclear Safety, Security, Safeguards and Non-proliferation-60 Years of IAEA and EURATOM Introduction", Maiani, L. and Abousahl, S. and Plastino, W. (eds.), 20th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on International Cooperation for Enhancing Nuclear Safety, Security, Safeguards and Non-Proliferation, Springer Verlag, October 2018, 151-154 |
| Avşar, Bihter and Sayers, Zehra, "Homology modeling and characterization studies on gamma subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins in Oryza sativa and A. thaliana", 42nd Congress of the Federation-of-European-Biochemical-Societies (FEBS) on From Molecules to Cells and Back, Wiley, September 2017, 200-200 |
| Sayers, Zehra and Avşar, Bihter and Karmous, Ines and Çolak, Ersoy, "G protein signaling in plants: characterization of alpha and gamma subunits", 61st Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Elsevier, February 2017, 189A-190A |
| Karmous, Ines and Çolak, Ersoy and Sayers, Zehra, "The structure of the alpha subunit and its role in G protein signaling in plants", 41st FEBS Congress, Wiley, September 2016, 75-75 |
| Avşar, Bihter and Karmous, Ines and Çolak, Ersoy and Sayers, Zehra, "A comparative study of gamma subunits of A. thaliana and O. sativa", 60th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Elsevier, February 2016, 206A-206A |
| Çolak, Ersoy and Karmous, Ines and Avşar, Bihter and Sayers, Zehra, "Heterotrimeric g-protein alpha (alpha) subunit from a. thaliana forms trimeric structures in solution", 60th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Elsevier, February 2016, 380A-380A |
| Sayers, Zehra and Quarantini, Sandra and Köse, Hazal Büşra and Gür, Burak, "Structural features of the gamma subunit (AGG2) and specificity of A. thaliana heterotrimeric G-protein interactions", Modeling of Biomolecular Systems Interactions, Dynamics, and Allostery: Bridging Experiments and Computations, Rockville, Maryland: Biophysical Society, September 2014 |
| Quarantini, Sandra and Köse, Hazal Büşra and Kaplan Türköz, Burcu and Aktürk, Anıl and Sayers, Zehra, "Structure-function studies of A. thaliana heterotrimeric G-protein subunits", 23rd Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography, Chester, England: International Union of Crystallography, August 2014, C423-C423 |
| Quarantini, Sandra and Köse, Hazal Büşra and Sayers, Zehra, "Structural characterization of A. thaliana heterotrimeric g-proteins", 58th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Cambridge, MA, USA: Elsevier, January 2014, 465A-465A |
| Sayers, Zehra and Aydın, Mert and Bal, Erhan and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Konarev, Petr V. and Petoukhov, Maxim V. and Roessle, Manfred and Kikhney, Alexey G. and Shang, Weifeng and Svergun, Dmitri I., "Comparative characterization of apo-, reconstituted- and in vivo-folded forms of a durum wheat metallothionein", 57th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Cambridge, MA, USA: Biophysical Society, January 2013, 396A-396A |
| Collak, Filiz and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Dinler-Doğanay, Gizem and Sayers, Zehra, "Purification and structural analysis of durum wheat metallothionein domains", 25th European Crystallography Meeting (ECM 25), Chester, England: IUCr (International Union of Crystallography), August 2009, 164-164 |
| Kaplan Türköz, Burcu and Iskit, Sedef and Sayers, Zehra, "Biophysical analyses on plant heterotrimeric g-proteins", 25th European Crystallography Meeting (ECM 25), Chester, England: IUCr (International Union of Crystallography), August 2009, 164-164 |
| Saygı, Ceren and Akturk, Anil and Aydin, Mert and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Structural studies on mutant wheat metallothioneins", 25th European Crystallography Meeting (ECM 25), Chester, England: IUCr (International Union of Crystallography), August 2009, 164-165 |
| Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Use of modified metallothioneins for biosensor application", 25th European Crystallography Meeting (ECM 25), Chester, England: IUCr (International Union of Crystallography), August 2009, 118-119 |
| Aktürk, Anıl and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Investigation of structural features of mutant Metallothioneins I: Hingeless T. durum metallothionein (Mutant metallotionin proteininin yapısal özellikleri: köprüsüz T. durum metallotionini)", 14th Biomedical Engineering Conference (BIYOMUT 2009), Izmir, Turkey: Dokuz Eylul University, May 2009 |
| Saygı, Ceren and Aydın, Mert and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Investigation of structural features of mutant metallothioneins: modifications in cysteine motifs of T. durum metallothionein (Mutant metallotionin’lerin yapısal özelliklerinin incelenmesi: T. durum metallotionin’in sistin motiflerinin modifikasyonu)", 14th Biomedical Engineering Conference (BIYOMUT 2009), Izmir, Turkey: Dokuz Eylul University, May 2009 |
| Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Biophysical characterization of a recombinant metallothionein and its possible use as a biosensor (Rekombinant metallotioninler’in biyofiziksel karakterizasyonu ve biyosensor olarak kullanılabilirliği)", 14th Biomedical Engineering Conference (BIYOMUT 2009), Izmir, Turkey: Dokuz Eylul University, May 2009 |
| Collak, Filiz and Dinler-Doğanay, Gizem and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Purification and characterization of recombinant durum metallothionein domain constructs", Biophysical Society Meeting 2008, USA: Biophysical Society, February 2008, 2725-2725 |
| Dinler-Doğanay, Gizem and Yeşilırmak, Filiz and Yar, Sümeyye and Collak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Plant type 1 metallothioneins: candidates for intrinsically unstructured proteins", Biophysical Society Meeting 2008, USA: Biophysical Society, February 2008, 2748-2748 |
| Dinler-Doğanay, Gizem and Dede, Filiz and Kısaayak Çollak, Filiz and Sayers, Zehra, "Functional and structural investigations of a metallothionein from durum wheat, dMT", Protein Society 21st Symposium, USA: Protein society, July 2007, 264 |
| Sayers, Zehra, "Construction of phase one beamlines and developing the science program for SESAME", 5th SESAME Users Meeting, Cairo, Egypt: Egyptian National Committee, December 2006 |
| Haker, Duygu and Ertuğrul, Fahriye and Çakmak, İsmail and Budak, Hikmet and Sayers, Zehra, "Bugday arpa ve celtikte WRKY gen ailesinin izole edilmesi ve sekanslanması", XIV Ulusal Biotechnology Conference, Eskişehir: Osman Gazi Universitesi, August 2005, 55-59 |
| Volumes Edited / Special Issues |
| Powell, Kendall and Sayers, Zehra, Coalition builder, Nature Publishing Group, March 2019 |