主页 > 医学讨论 >
【bio-news】蛋白质在自然环境中可能行为不同
11/14/06 -- When in an environment similar to that in which they exist naturally, proteins and multiprotein assemblies may demonstrate actions or dynamics different than those they exhibit when in the static form in which they are most often studied, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in a report in the current issue of the journal Structure.
In a study using electron cryomicroscopy, Dr. Steven Ludtke, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and co-director of the National Center for Macromolecular Imaging at BCM, and colleagues from BCM and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, found such dynamic behavior in a mutant form of a protein called GroEL, which chaperones or helps misfolded protein molecules fold into the shape that allows them to achieve their purpose in the cells. Misfolded proteins have been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative and other diseases.
Electron cryomicroscopy allows scientists to take very detailed two-dimensional images of individual molecules in a native-like environment. Then, using computers and the science of computational biology, they assemble tens of thousands of such images into three-dimensional models that demonstrate the dynamics of the proteins.
When Ludtke and his colleagues followed this procedure with the GroEL mutant with its sister-protein, GroES, they were surprised. Two of the structures were as they expected, but the third was "a strange-looking structure blown up like a balloon," he said.
"This sort of expansion has never been observed before," he said.
In terms of native GroEL, the finding may indicate the need to look at the chaperone itself more closely.
"The expansion was directly related to the function of the assembly. From a more global perspective, this is strong evidence that we need to study how any macromolecule behaves in a solution environment."
Source: Baylor College of Medicine
http://www.bio.com/newsfeatures/newsfeatures_research.jhtml;jsessionid=DT5PEGIKNSLTVR3FQLMCFEWHUWBNSIV0?cid=23500032 本人已认领该文编译，48小时后若未提交译文，请其他战友自由认领 Proteins May Behave Differently in Natural Environments
蛋白质在自然环境中可能有不同表现
11/14/06 -- When in an environment similar to that in which they exist naturally, proteins and multiprotein assemblies may demonstrate actions or dynamics different than those they exhibit when in the static form in which they are most often studied, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in a report in the current issue of the journal Structure.
11/14/06 Baylor医学院（BCM）的研究者在最近一期的the journal Structure发表的文章表明：当蛋白和多蛋白处于和它们存在的自然条件类似的环境中时，它们的组装可能会表现出与在常规静态研究条件下的活动或动力学上的不同。
In a study using electron cryomicroscopy, Dr. Steven Ludtke, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and co-director of the National Center for Macromolecular Imaging at BCM, and colleagues from BCM and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, found such dynamic behavior in a mutant form of a protein called GroEL, which chaperones or helps misfolded protein molecules fold into the shape that allows them to achieve their purpose in the cells. Misfolded proteins have been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative and other diseases.
Steven Ludtke博士是BCM的生化与分子生物学助理教授，同时也是BCM国立大分子影像中心的副主管，他和BCM以及处于达拉斯的德克萨斯大学西南医学中心的同事们在一项使用冷冻电子显微镜技术的研究中，发现一种称为GroEL蛋白的突变型具有能动行为，这种蛋白能伴随或帮助错误折叠蛋白分子折叠成能帮助该错折叠蛋白完成其细胞内生理功能的形状。而错误折叠蛋白往往牵涉到许多神经变性和其他疾病。
Electron cryomicroscopy allows scientists to take very detailed two-dimensional images of individual molecules in a native-like environment. Then, using computers and the science of computational biology, they assemble tens of thousands of such images into three-dimensional models that demonstrate the dynamics of the proteins.
冷冻电子显微镜能帮助科学家取得非常详细的单一分子在类天然环境中的二维图象，然后通过电脑和计算生物学的运用，可以将一系列的二维图象重新整合成能表现蛋白动力学的三维结构模型。
When Ludtke and his colleagues followed this procedure with the GroEL mutant with its sister-protein, GroES, they were surprised. Two of the structures were as they expected, but the third was "a strange-looking structure blown up like a balloon," he said.
阅读本文的人还阅读：
作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-04-16 05:14
医学,生命科学网