COLLABORATION IN BASIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (COBASE)

Striving to investigate the structural and dynamic properties of partially folded conformations of proteins Anthony Fink of University of California, Santa Cruz invited Konstantin K. Turoverov and Irina M. Kuznetsova of the Institute of Cytology in St. Petersburg, Russia for a month-long visit in September 2001. Through these collaborative efforts, they had also planned to examine the effect of self-association on the structural properties, conformational stability and internal mobility of partially folded proteins.

The scientists undertook to facilitate studies of the association of partially-folded intermediates to form fibrils, a detailed investigation of the interaction of the fluorescent dye, Thioflavin T (ThT), which is used to monitor amyloid fibril formation. The results of the group’s research lead to a better understanding of how ThT interacts with proteins in different conformations and how it may best be used in studies of protein association and fibrillation.

Achieving the core objectives of their joint work, they characterized a number of partially-folded intermediates of creatine kinase. Fink hopes to continue collaboration along similar research lines of partially-folded intermediates, especially using fluorescence techniques. Specific plans will include the submission of a paper for publication and a proposal to the National Science Foundation while completing further experiments both in Santa Cruz and in St. Petersburg.