Probing the binding of antifreeze proteins to trehalose crystals

Year: 2014

Antifreeze Proteins (AFPs) refers to a class of polypeptides that allow cold-adapted organisms, such as fish
and insects, to survive in subzero environments, by lowering the f.p. of water without affecting the m.p. This
project focuses on finding the binding modes of AFPs, particularly of DAFP-1 an AFP from the beetle
Dendroides canadensis, with trehalose. The binding process of this system can give a better understanding
of the physiol. process on how theses organisms can survive at temps. below zero. It has been exptl. obsd.
that a trehalose dihydrate crystal has a more favorable crystal growth rate on the (-110) plane and a least
favorable rate on the (0-11) planeand it has been demonstrated that trehalose dihydrate f.p. changes
drastically in the presence of DAFP-1. Using bio software programs and mol. dynamics simulation we compare
and contrast the interaction between DAFP-1 with (-110) and (0-11) planes of the trehalose dehydrate crystal.
It is of great interests to reveal the details of how do AFPs recognize the ligands and control the crystal growth
of the substances. In addn., AFP binding conformations may yield a better understanding of the function of
these remarkable proteins. Crystal growth control is essential in many scientific fields including chem.,
materials science, and pharmaceutical development. These recent findings greatly expanded the mol.
recognition repertoire of AFPs, from ice-like crystals to non-ice like crystals.