Water binding in antifreeze proteins and dehydrins

抗冻蛋白和脱水蛋白中的水结合

• 批准号: 328288-2006
• 负责人: Graether, Steffen
• 金额: $ 2.62万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2007-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=366475
• 关键词: Water; binding; antifreeze; proteins; dehydrins

We often hear how the human body is made up of over 70% water. Modern living has made water seem like almost any other liquid - wet and uninteresting. Yet to scientists water is extremely complex and its special properties make it essential for life. My research focuses on trying to understand how water interacts with proteins. Proteins are the building blocks and machinery of cells and our bodies, where cells can form tens of thousands different versions of proteins for many different functions.       We will examine two specific proteins called antifreeze proteins, which protect a number of fish, insects, plants and bacteria from freezing to death, and dehydrins, which are plant proteins that provide protection during dehydration. Antifreeze proteins bind to and inhibit the growth of ice, while dehydrins are thought to prevent damage during dehydration by binding large amounts of water and preventing proteins from changing shape. We will study these proteins since they both involve the binding of water (or ice). Understanding water binding in these proteins will provide us with information to understand water binding of proteins in general, and the effect water binding may have on important protein functions.

我们经常听到人体是由70%以上的水组成的。现代生活使水看起来几乎和其他液体一样--潮湿而无趣。然而，对科学家来说，水是极其复杂的，它的特殊性质使它对生命至关重要。我的研究重点是试图了解水如何与蛋白质相互作用。蛋白质是细胞和我们身体的基石和机器，细胞可以形成成千上万种不同版本的蛋白质，用于许多不同的功能。 我们将研究两种称为抗冻蛋白的特定蛋白质，它们可以保护许多鱼类，昆虫，植物和细菌免于冻死，以及在脱水过程中提供保护的植物蛋白。防冻蛋白质结合并抑制冰的生长，而蛋白质被认为通过结合大量的水和防止蛋白质改变形状来防止脱水过程中的损害。我们将研究这些蛋白质，因为它们都涉及水（或冰）的结合。了解这些蛋白质中的水结合将为我们提供信息，以了解一般蛋白质的水结合，以及水结合可能对重要蛋白质功能的影响。