Molecular interactions in the mechanism of action of P7 protein from the Hepatitis C virus and of human galectin 4

• Grant number: 12/20358-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: February 10, 2013
• End date: February 09, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Molecular Biophysics
• Principal Investigator: Antonio José da Costa Filho
• Grantee: Patricia Suemy Kumagai
• Supervisor: Anthony Watts
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Oxford, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/21767-2 - Molecular interactions in the mechanism of action of human galectin-4, BP.DD

Abstract

The present project describes the activities that will be performed by Patricia Suemy Kumagai during her stay at the University of Oxford under the supervision of Prof. Anthony Watts. In such stay, we intend to study two proteins that have in their interactions with biological membranes their common point. The first one is the p7 protein from the hepatitis C virus. This protein plays a central role in forming ion channels during the virus life cycle and is already under investigation in Prof Watts' group. In this case, it is our interest to investigate the protein structural arrangement when inserted in model membranes as well as to map out the binding sites of inhibitors of its biological activity. The second protein of interest is the human galectin 4, which is part of the student's PhD project developed in Brazil. In this case, we look for information that help understanding the protein interaction with several different types if sugars and with model membranes. In both cases, the studies will focus on the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methods, which are a main expertise of the foreign team. For galectin 4, we also want to explore the power of synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) to unravel conformational changes in protein structure. To do so we will rely on a collaboration with Prof. Bonnie Wallace (University of London), a major expert in the field. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DIJKMAN, PATRICIA M.; MUNOZ-GARCIA, JUAN C.; LAVINGTON, STEVEN R.; KUMAGAI, PATRICIA SUEMY; DOS REIS, I, ROSANA; YIN, DANIEL; STANSFELD, PHILLIP J.; COSTA-FILHO, ANTONIO JOSE; WATTS, ANTHONY. Conformational dynamics of a G protein-coupled receptor helix 8 in lipid membranes. SCIENCE ADVANCES, v. 6, n. 33, AUG 2020. (10/17662-8, 12/20358-4, 11/21767-2)