Protein Folding and Binding in the Cell - In Vitro Approaches

Seminar

Title: Protein Folding and Binding in the Cell - In Vitro Approaches

Speaker: Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede

Affiliation: Umeå University, Sweden

Host: Cláudio M. Gomes

Abstract:

Folding processes of simple proteins have been studied for years in test tubes. However, many proteins in the cells are more complex: some bind cofactors (e.g. metals) and others interact with other polypeptides in order to form their functional units. How folding and binding reactions are coupled in such protein systems is not well understood. To obtain molecular information, we combine strategic protein systems and protein engineering with a range of biophysical methods. To take a step closer to the in vivo scenario, we also assess how the crowdedness of the cell milieu affects protein properties and how metals are transported by dedicated proteins to their target proteins.