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Protein Dynamics and Biocatalysis
Investigators: P. A. Bash, Northwestern University Medical School and M. Karplus, Harvard University Research Objectives A guiding principle of molecular biology is that the structure of a biomolecule defines its function. This principle is especially true in the case of the protein molecules known as enzymes, which serve as highly specific and extraordinarily efficient catalysts of biochemical reactions. Despite the growing availability of the atomic structures of enzymes, details of the… Read More »
Theoretical Study on Catalysis by Protein Enzymes and Ribozyme
Principal Investigator: Martin Karplus, Harvard University Research Objectives The goal of this project is to develop a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in enzyme catalysis and related protein functions. We are studying two types of enzymes: proteins and a nucleic acid (hammerhead ribozyme). Computational Approach For active-site models in the gas phase, ab initio or density functional (DFT) calculations are used. A few calculations with continuum dieletric models are… Read More »
Theoretical Study on Catalysis by Protein Enzymes, Ribosome, and Molecular Motors
Principal Investigator: Martin Karplus, Harvard University Research Objectives This project's goal is to develop a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in enzyme catalysis and related protein functions. We are studying the protein enzymes chorismate mutase, flavoxireductase, and aminopeptidase, and a nucleic acid enzyme, the hammerhead ribosome. We are also studying another class of enzymes known as molecular motors, which play important roles in bioenergy transduction and gene… Read More »
