Researchers from the Laboratory of Protein Engineering at the are working on obtaining crystals of repair proteins and their complexes with low molecular weight inhibitors. Project leader Sergey Tsybulya explained that the purpose of the project is to study these samples by X-ray crystallography when SKIF is operational. This work is being conducted under the auspices of the large-scale project "Structural studies and radiation testing of advanced materials using synchrotron radiation and neutrons" that is supported by the "Priority 2030" strategic leadership program.
DNA repair is a special group of repair mechanisms that make it possible to detect and correct DNA damage. Knowing the structure of a DNA repair protein, scientists can get a pretty good idea of how it works. This is important because virtually any protein can be targeted by various drugs.
Dmitry Zharkov, Head of the Protein Engineering Laboratory, explained,
If a protein comes from a bacterium, a virus, or a cancer cell, we can target it with a drug and neutralize or weaken it. If the protein is taken from normal human cells, we get a clear idea of how it can "break down". For example, we can find out how such a protein can make a healthy cell cancerous or what it needs to work 鈥渃orrectly鈥�.
To determine the structure of a protein with modern day accuracy, scientists need special devices that generate X-ray fluxes and synchrotron radiation. However, before conducting research, it is necessary to grow a crystal from protein.
Zharkov provided more details about crystals,
It doesn't look like a crystal gem at all and it's much smaller, one-tenth of a millimeter or less. And their ability to crystallize is different. Some large and workable crystals are formed overnight, when working with others this process takes months, and if we take into account unsuccessful attempts, then years.
The resulting protein crystals are exposed to synchrotron radiation and reflection of X-rays from the atoms of the crystal restores its structure. Then, using special programs, these points reproduce the structure of the protein itself down to individual atoms. Previously, in order to conduct such studies, NSU scientists had to travel abroad since domestic research centers and institutes did not have the necessary equipment. With the launch of the CCU 鈥淪KIF鈥�, they will have the opportunity to perform all the necessary work at the University.
Zharkov talked about their current status,
We are producing proteins of interest to us in the Laboratory and starting the process of their crystallization. There are about 15 of these proteins. At this stage, their structure is either unknown to us or not sufficiently known. Crystals suitable for further research have already been grown from several of them. In the near future, we need to rebuild the pipeline to determine their structure. Our most important technical task is to prepare for the opening of SKIF with a full program of downloads for research on protein crystals.
