RESEARCH: CANCER
FOLDING PROJECT #16987 PROFILE

This project relates to understanding how tiny proteins fold into specific shapes. By changing the connections and building blocks of these proteins, researchers hope to design better cancer treatments that latch onto and destroy tumor cells.

These simulations are designed to test our understanding the folding mechanism of alpha-helical hairpins.

We are trying to study how disulfide cross-linkers and sequence variants affect the folding thermodynamics and kinetics of these proteins, to learn how we might better use molecular simulation methods to design effective protein binder scaffolds, for use as "affibody" cancer therapeutics, for example.

alpha-helical

A type of protein secondary structure.

An alpha-helix is a common shape found in proteins where the polypeptide chain coils into a spiral. This shape is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between amino acids.

disulfide cross-linkers

Covalent bonds between cysteine amino acids.

Disulfide cross-linkers are chemical bonds that form between two sulfur atoms in cysteine amino acids. They help stabilize protein structure by holding different parts of the protein together.

sequence variants

Variations in the DNA sequence of a gene.

Sequence variants are changes in the order of nucleotides within a gene. These variations can lead to different protein structures and functions.

folding thermodynamics

The study of energy changes during protein folding.

Folding thermodynamics examines the energy required for a protein to fold into its correct shape. This information helps us understand how proteins fold and why some misfold.

kinetics

The rate of a chemical reaction.

Kinetics studies how fast reactions occur. In the context of protein folding, kinetics examines the speed at which proteins transition between different shapes.

protein binder scaffolds

Structures that bind to specific proteins.

Protein binder scaffolds are designed to interact with target proteins. They can be used in drug development to block protein activity or promote desired interactions.

affibody

A small protein binding domain.

Affibody is a type of therapeutic antibody that binds to specific targets. They are smaller than traditional antibodies and can penetrate tissues more effectively.

cancer therapeutics

Medications used to treat cancer.

Cancer therapeutics are drugs designed to kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. They can target specific pathways involved in cancer development.