New Invention Unravels Mystery of Protein Folding

[b1llyb0y]

Hi all,

I came across this a little while ago, and was wandering whether the FAH team have heard about it or even contacted the inventor(s)? or even If it would be useful for FAH ..

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 131357.htm

[verlyol]

Yes it would be interresting to have the advice of researchers from the Pande group about this article !

[bruce]

Although it may sound like it solves the same problem that FAH is studying, they're predicting the final shape, not developing an understanding of the PROCESS of reaching that final shape. Although it's somewhat related, it's an entirely different scientific goal. For example, the protein that causes Alzheimer's disease is a natural protein in the brain and when it is in the normal shape, there is no disease. When it folds to a somewhat different shape, the disease occur.

I'm not sure if this discovery will predict both final shapes, but even if it does, it will not answer the fundamental question of WHY the protein sometimes folds to the first shape and WHY it sometimes folds to the second shape.

[7im]

Going one step further, since FAH may figure out the WHY part of it going one way or another, it's a relatively small step to then figure out the prevention of the WHY. (Actually, it's a huge step in research terms, but we knew that already.)

Additionally, the prevention or treatment might be most effective while the protein is still in the process of mis-folding, not at the final misfolded shape. Knowing the end shape is helpful, but only a small part of the knowledge needed to treat or cure diseases effectively.

And fah has already been doing this for years using different methods.

[prokaryote]

Actually, it seems that the intermediate shapes during the folding process is also highlighted by the invention, hence the interest to the F@H project.

"Because the invention also determines possible intermediate states in the protein folding process, it provides a clearer picture and could open doors to designing new medicines for neurodegenerative diseases that are caused by incorrectly folded proteins.

Any comment from the Pande Group?

Thanks,
-P

[VijayPande]

I know the inventor pretty well and I've chatted with him about this. This method (as far as I know) has never been tested on protein folding (you can get a patent on an idea without a demonstration that it works), so we've been talking to him to see about doing some tests so we can see how it compares with our methods.

[prokaryote]

Thanks Prof. Pande!

I hope something of use comes of this. Fold on!

-P