U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research: "Role of Molten Globule State in the Structure and Function of Proteins"

这一奖项将促进加州大学圣克鲁斯分校的安东尼·L·芬克教授和日本大阪大学生物系的后藤裕树副教授之间的持续合作。科学家们将研究被称为熔球的蛋白质构象状态及其在蛋白质折叠反应中的作用。这项研究的目的是增加我们对熔融小球的分子细节和物理性质的了解，并确定它们是否在某些生理过程中可能是重要的，如膜的转运。研究表明，熔融的球状状态在蛋白质折叠、蛋白质变性以及可能在体内的蛋白质功能中起着至关重要的作用。为了建立一般性，各种生物物理技术将被用来从结构上表征几种不同蛋白质的熔融球状状态。此外，还将使用停流荧光和CD进行动力学实验。增加我们对蛋白质折叠和稳定性决定因素的了解，对蛋白质及其功能的大多数方面都有重要的影响，包括药物设计和医疗和工业用蛋白质。参与这项工作的美国和日本科学家在研究蛋白质和酶的结构和功能特性方面拥有互补的技能和经验。两人都为他们在这个问题上的个人努力获得了大量资金，他们之前的合作卓有成效，他们的研究具有原创性和重要性。他们的持续共同努力应该有助于我们以各种方式理解蛋白质。

This award will facilitate continued collaboration between Professor Anthony L Fink, University of California, Santa Cruz, and Associate Professor Yugi Goto, Department of Biology, Osaka University, Japan. The scientists will investigate the protein conformational state known as the molten globule and its role in protein folding reactions. The goal of the research is to increase our understanding of the molecular details and physical properties of molten globules and to determine whether they may be important in certain physiological processes such as membrane transloc- ation. Research has indicated that molten globule-like states are of critical importance in protein folding, protein denaturation and probably in vivo protein function. In order to establish generalities, a variety of biophysical techniques will be used to structurally characterize the molten globule state from several different proteins. In addition, kinetic experiments using stopped-flow fluorescence and CD will be performed. An increase in our understanding of the deter- minants of protein folding and stability has important implications for most aspects of proteins and their functions, including drug design and proteins for medical and industrial uses. The US and Japanese scientists involved in this effort have complementary skills and experience in studying structural and functional properties of proteins and enzymes. Both have obtained significant funds for their individual efforts on this problem and their previous collaborations have been highly productive, and their research original and important. Their continued joint efforts should contribute to our understanding of proteins in a wide variety of ways.