STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY OF THE ENAMEL PROTEINS

这个子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和调查员(PI)可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可能会出现在其他CRISE条目中。列出的机构是针对中心的，而不一定是针对调查员的机构。我们研究活动的主要目标是促进我们对牙釉质形成的基本分子机制的理解。我们推测，这样的理解将导致未来仿生策略的发展，以创造釉质类矿物材料。重点研究了三个方面：1.牙釉质细胞外基质成分的结构和功能。2)釉蛋白水解酶MMP20的功能和作用机制。3)釉质蛋白结晶：釉原蛋白。我们的目标是：(项目1)在分子水平上确定定义蛋白质在溶液中自组装的相互作用的性质和纳米球基质结构，在分子水平上定义体外形成的基于釉原蛋白的基质的超微结构，表征在没有和存在非釉原蛋白的情况下合成釉原蛋白凝胶基质中磷灰石和八钙磷酸钙晶体的生长、形态和取向。研究釉原蛋白和非釉原蛋白对溶液中磷灰石和八钙晶体生长形态的影响。(项目2)：利用光学波长光谱仪(OWLS)、扫描角反射仪(SAR)和椭偏仪，开发和表征单体状态下用于釉原蛋白吸附的表面，该表面将用于其结晶。(项目3)：研究重组基质金属蛋白酶-20对重组成釉蛋白、成釉蛋白和成釉蛋白的作用。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The major goal of our research activities is to advance our understanding of the fundamental molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of dental enamel. We postulate that such understanding will lead to the future development of biomimetic strategies for the creation of enamel-like mineral materials. We focus on three areas: 1. The structure and function of enamel extracellular matrix components. 2) The function and mechanism of action of enamel proteinase MMP-20 (enamelysin). 3) Crystallization of enamel protein : amelogenin. Our goals are: ( project #1) to identify the nature of the interactions which define protein self-assembly in solution and the nanosphere matrix architecture, at the molecular level, to define at the molecular level the ultrastructural architecture of amelogenin-based matrices formed in vitro, to characterize apatite and octacalcium phosphate crystal growth, morphology and orientation within synthetic amelogenin gel matrices in the absence and presence of the non-amelogenins. To characterize the effects of amelogenin and non-amelogenins on apatite and octacalcium crystal growth morphology in solution. (project # 2) : To develop and characterize surfaces for amelogenin adsorption in a monomeric state, which will be used for its crystallization, using Optical Wavelength Light Spectroscopy (OWLS), Scanning Angle Reflectometry (SAR) and Ellipsometry. (project # 3): To investigate the action of recombinant MMP-20 on recombinant enamel proteins amelogenin, ameloblastin and enamelin.