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Infrared spectroscopic studies of respiratory cytochrome bc complex and related model materials

Reference	BB/C50747X/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Peter Rich
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University College London
Department	Genetics Evolution and Environment
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	205,159
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/02/2005
End date	30/06/2008
Duration	41 months

Abstract

The aim is to exploit recently developed techniques for obtaining high quality infrared difference spectra of membrane proteins to study aspects of structure and function of respiratory bc complex. Bovine bc complex will be used, together with forms available through collaborations that are amenable to site-directed mutagenesis. The IR spectra can reveal structural changes in prosthetic groups and individual amino acids provided that solid assignments can be made. Such assignments will be aided by the concurrent generation of a database of related model compounds, including mini-protein maquettes of redox proteins. High quality redox difference spectra of individual redox centres will be obtained with a range of new devices that have been developed and built in my laboratory for simultaneous acquisition of IR, visible and electrochemical data of protein films that are assembled onto the surface of an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) microprism. These allow acquisition of high quality IR data, with some transitions being accessible to IR spectroscopy for the first time with these methods, that show atomic changes of protein and prosthetic groups whilst the protein undergoes specific steps in its catalytic mechanism. By comparison with model materials and with use of isotopically-labelled proteins and site-directed mutants, these IR spectra can be used to identify how substrate ubiquinone binds and reacts and how specific amino acids are involved in catalysis and control of proton and electron transfers.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Biomolecular Sciences (BMS)
Research Topics	Structural Biology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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