Descripción del proyecto
Las proteínas entran en una minisala de examen una a una para la comprobación de la estructura funcional
Las proteínas son polímeros naturales creados a partir de componentes básicos de aminoácidos. Contienen entre cincuenta y dos mil aminoácidos, cada uno con una media aproximada de diecinueve átomos, y la cadena puede adoptar formas tridimensionales bastante complicadas. La comprensión de la función de las proteínas depende en gran medida del estudio de su estructura, pero esta es frágil y puede verse alterada por los protocolos y procesos experimentales. El proyecto SIMONANO2, financiado con fondos europeos, desarrollará nuevas cámaras sólidas monomoleculares que facilitarán el análisis de las reacciones individuales de las proteínas, lo que elimina la necesidad de intervenciones que complican los experimentos y la interpretación de los resultados. Las cámaras de reacción a nanoescala prometen ofrecer una visión sin precedentes de la estructura y la dinámica molecular.
Objetivo
Single Molecule Analysis in Nanoscale Reaction Chambers
Imagine that you would measure the average eye color of the population in Sweden. Clearly it would not say much about the colors of the eyes of the inhabitants. To obtain this information, one must of course study them individually. The same holds true for complex biological molecules, especially proteins, which may exist in many different configurations that cannot be resolved in an ensemble measurement. Heterogeneities in biomolecular structure and function limit our understanding of biology. To advance further it is vital that we study biomolecules individually. For proteins this is highly challenging since it must be done in a non-invasive manner under conditions similar to their native environment.
The SIMONANO project aims to develop a new platform for single molecule analysis which provides essential advantages. Proteins will be controllably loaded into solid nanoscale chambers, thereby eliminating the need of field gradient forces or surface immobilization. Furthermore, the proteins are entrapped at physiological conditions and small ligands can still access them quickly. Most importantly, the content is regulated on the single molecule level, i.e. proteins can be controllably loaded one at a time and different types of proteins can be introduced sequentially. Advanced (but established) fluorescence microscopy techniques will be used to detect the proteins and analyze their reactions.
The possibility to reliably entrap any desired number of proteins under physiological conditions and study their reactions will provide great scientific advancements in the life sciences. Once developed in this project, the nanoscale reaction chambers can become a tool used by biologists worldwide, which will advance our understanding of life on the molecular level. This will in turn lead to new applications in biotechnology and medicine.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantInstitución de acogida
412 96 GOTEBORG
Suecia