Protein Folding, Function and Engineering

蛋白质折叠、功能和工程

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-05733
• 负责人: Meiering, Elizabeth
• 金额: $ 5.46万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=632532
• 关键词: Protein; Folding; Function; Engineering

Proteins are exquisite molecular machines-they perform a vast range of functions, from acting as catalysts, to specifically recognizing and binding all kinds of molecules, to structural support roles. The order of amino acids in the linear protein chain, i.e. the primary sequence, encodes how the protein folds into its functional “native” structure. Despite extensive study, the details of the mechanisms by which primary sequence determines protein folding and function remain obscure. Defining these mechanisms is of tremendous importance because, ultimately, such knowledge will give us the ability to accurately predict the behaviour of any protein, in natural processes, in disease, and in biotechnology. It will give us the ability to engineer or design proteins for any desired application!

蛋白质是精致的分子机器，它们执行着广泛的功能，从催化剂到特异性识别和结合各种分子，再到结构支持角色。线性蛋白质链中氨基酸的顺序，即一级序列，编码蛋白质如何折叠成其功能性“天然”结构。尽管进行了广泛的研究，但一级序列决定蛋白质折叠和功能的机制的细节仍然不清楚。定义这些机制是非常重要的，因为最终，这些知识将使我们能够准确地预测任何蛋白质在自然过程中，疾病和生物技术中的行为。它将使我们有能力为任何所需的应用工程或设计蛋白质！