( Scientists know that a better understan...)FSU researchers determine a critical factor in workings of proteins

Now, a pair of Florida State University researchers' new theory has been proven to accurately predict the association rate for proteins. Their theory is outlined in the February issue of the scientific journal Structure.

"A protein can have multiple targets or can be targeted by multiple molecules," said Professor Huan-Xiang Zhou, who serves on the faculty of FSU's School of Computational Science and department of physics. "Rapid association between proteins is crucial in a wide array of biological processes, such as the utilization of and defense against toxins; the activation of receptor proteins on cell membranes by growth hormones; and the regulation of actin polymerization, which influences the physical structure of living cells. The association rate thus plays a critical role in the overall health of the organism."

Mutations are one factor that can disrupt quick association between proteins and lead to disease, he said.

"For example, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, a pediatric genetic disorder characterized by eczema, immune deficiencies and low blood-platelet counts, can be traced to mutations on the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein," Zhou said. "Normally, fast association of the protein with other biomolecules is critical for the creation of proper cell structures. The failure of the protein to associate quickly, then, is the root cause of the condition."

In their Structure paper, Zhou and graduate student Razmi Alsallaq put forth a new theory that has been proven to accurately predict the association rate for proteins by developing a theoretical model for the association process. A central component of the model is the transition state, a phase that two associating proteins go through before finally becoming a specific complex. The rate prediction is bro
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Source:Florida State University