In this paper we introduce a novel method of deriving a pairwise potential for protein folding. The potential is obtained by an optimization procedure that simultaneously maximizes thermodynamic stability for all proteins in the database. When applied to the representative dataset of proteins and with the energy function taken in pairwise contact approximation, our potential scored somewhat bet...

Structure-function relationships in proteins are predicated on the spatial proximity of noncovalently interacting groups of atoms. Thus, structural elements located away from a protein's active site are typically presumed to serve a stabilizing or scaffolding role for the larger structure. Here we report a functional role for a distal structural element in a PDZ domain, even though it is not re...

Experimental observations suggest that proteins follow different folding pathways under different environmental conditions. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a model of the c-Crk SH3 domain over a broad range of temperatures, and identify distinct pathways in the folding transition. We determine the kinetic partition temperature-the temperature for which the c-Crk SH3 domain undergoe...

Hydrophilic polymers were attached to lysozyme by a combination of grafting-to and grafting-from approaches using RAFT polymerization. A hydrophilic oligomer was synthesized, and attached to the protein. The protein-oligomer hybrid contained the RAFT end group, enabling chain extension in solution. Lysozyme maintained activity throughout this process.

Identifying which ligands might bind to a protein before crystallization trials could provide a significant saving in time and resources. LigSearch, a web server aimed at predicting ligands that might bind to and stabilize a given protein, has been developed. Using a protein sequence and/or structure, the system searches against a variety of databases, combining available knowledge, and provide...

In a recent paper (D. Gront et al., Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 115, pp. 1569, 2001) we applied a simple combination of the Replica Exchange Monte Carlo and the Histogram methods in the computational studies of a simplified protein lattice model containing hydrophobic and polar units and sequence-dependent local stiffness. A well-defined, relatively complex Greek-key topology, ground (nat...

Profile matching methods are commonly used in searches in protein sequence databases to detect evolutionary relationships. We describe here a sensitive protocol, which detects remote similarities by searching in a specialized database of sequences belonging to a fold. We have assessed this protocol by exploring the relationships we detect among sequences known to belong to specific folds. We fi...

In contrast to the well-known destabilization of globular proteins by high pressure, recent work has shown that pressure stabilizes the formation of isolated α-helices. However, all simulations to date have obtained a qualitatively opposite result within the experimental pressure range. We show that using a protein force field (Amber03w) parametrized in conjunction with an accurate water model ...

Proteins are intrinsically dynamic molecules that can exchange between multiple conformational states, enabling them to carry out complex molecular processes with extreme precision and efficiency. Attempts to design novel proteins with tailored functions have mostly failed to yield efficiencies matching those found in nature because standard methods do not allow the design of exchange between n...

Probing the pocket: A high-throughput fluorescence-based thermal shift (FTS) assay utilized different forms of a protein (in gray) to establish the binding mode of a ligand (see picture). The assay serves in the rapid evaluation of structure-activity binding-mode relationships for a series of ligands of Plk1, an important target of anticancer therapy.