U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: Protein Folding at Subzero Temperatures

9726633 Fink该奖项支持加州大学圣克鲁斯分校的Anthony Fink教授和日本关西医科大学的Hiroshi Kihara教授之间为期三年的合作研究项目。研究人员将在零度以下的温度下探索蛋白质折叠。这项研究的目的是利用零度以下的温度来减缓蛋白质折叠的速度，这样就可以监测折叠的早期事件。他们特别感兴趣的是使用小角度x射线散射来测量未折叠蛋白质变得致密的速率。关于同时形成的二级和三级结构的信息将从使用圆二色性和荧光的平行研究中获得。该项目汇集了两个具有互补专业知识、研究能力和设备的实验室的努力。美国研究人员的主要专长是在零度以下的蛋白质折叠，日本研究人员的专长是使用小角度x射线散射来跟踪蛋白质的构象变化。目前的止流技术仅限于寿命约为一毫秒或更长时间的过程。蛋白质最初的崩溃被认为发生在一个更快的时间尺度上。通过使用零度以下的温度，结合合适的低温溶剂，他们可以显著减缓蛋白质折叠过程，有效地将观察窗口延长到更短的时间尺度。了解蛋白质崩溃的速率是非常重要的，将有助于区分折叠的竞争模型。这将大大增加我们对蛋白质折叠过程的理解。通过思想和技术的交流，该项目将扩大我们的基础知识基础，促进国际了解与合作。＊＊＊

9726633 Fink This award supports a three year collaborative research project between Professor Anthony Fink of the University of California at Santa Cruz and Professor Hiroshi Kihara of the Kansai Medical University in Japan. The researchers will be exploring protein folding at subzero temperatures. The objective of the research is to use subzero temperatures to slow the rate of protein folding down so that early events in folding may be monitored. In particular, they are interested in using small-angle X-ray scattering to measure the rate at which an unfolded protein becomes compact. Information about concurrent secondary and tertiary structure formation will be obtained from parallel investigations using circular dichroism and fluorescence. This project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise, research capabilities and equipment. The U.S. researchers' primary expertise is in subzero temperature protein folding and the Japanese expertise in the use of small-angle X-ray scattering to follow conformational changes in proteins. Current stopped-flow technology is limited to processes with lifetimes of about a millisecond or longer. the initial collapse of proteins is believed to occur on a faster timescale. By using subzero temperatures, in conjunction with suitable cryosolvents, they can significantly slow the protein folding process, effectively extending the window of observation to shorter timescales. Knowledge of the rate at which the protein collapses is very important and will help distinguish competing models for folding. This should significantly increase our understanding of the process of protein folding. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. ***