Intrinsically disordered proteins: A conversation with Rohit Pappu
For 100 years, the dogma has been that amino-acid sequences determine protein folding and that the
folded structure determines the protein’s function. But
as a Washington University in St. Louis engineer explains in the Sept. 20 issue of Science, a
large class of proteins doesn’t adhere to the structure-function paradigm.
Called intrinsically disordered proteins, these proteins fail fold either in
whole or in part and yet they are functional.
Unusual protein helps regulate key cell communication pathway
Charged atoms, or ions, move through tiny pores, or channels, embedded in cell membranes, generating the electrical signals that allow cells to communicate with one another. In new research, scientists have shown how an unusual protein plays a key role in temporarily blocking the movement of ions through these channels. Preventing ions from moving through the channel gives cells time to recharge so that they can continue firing.