Seminars Archive
Eeva K. Leinala
Abstract
Friday, May 18, 2001, 10:00
Seminar Room, ground floor, Building "T"
Sincrotrone Trieste, Basovizza
High Temperature Crystallization and SAS Structure Determination of the
Beta-Helical Spruce Budworm Antifreeze Protein
Eeva K. Leinala
(Department of Biochemistry, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario,
Canada)
ABSTRACT
Antifreeze proteins have been identified in plants, fish, insects and
other organisms. These proteins bind to seed ice crystals and
inhibit their growth, providing freeze protection for their host. Specific
tyrosine iodination and high temperature were required for the
crystallization of the 9 kDa Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana)
insect antifreeze protein (CfAFP). Home source SAS structure
determination of CfAFP reveiled a highly regular beta-helical protein
with extensive sidechain stacking. One face of the beta-helical
platform is composed of a two-dimensional array of Thr-X-Thr repeats
which provides a surface complement to ice.
