Spanish scientists reveal dynamic map of proteins

January 10, 2007 - This work provides important basic information on the flexibility of proteins and their ability to link with other molecules, an area of study which opens enormous possibilities for the design of new drugs.

Scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Life Sciences Programme at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the National Institute for Bioinformatics (INB) have published a provisional “atlas” of the dynamic behaviour of proteins in the prestigious scientific journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Proteins determine the shape and structure of cells and drive nearly all of a cell’s vital processes.All proteins carry out their functions according to the same process – by binding with other molecules. Now, the scientists have compiled a map that shows them how proteins can move and form complexes, a valuable tool that will help them understand the basic functions of the molecules, but also what happens when they function incorrectly. Such a map opens vast possibilities for the design of new drugs.

The goal of this study is to define a map of the dynamic properties of a very representative group of proteins....

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