Webb group ::
The molecular mechanisms of motor proteins and small G proteins
Motor proteins and small G proteins have essential roles in management of cells. Motor proteins are responsible for a wide array of movements, from muscle itself where motion is along a protein filament of actin to movement of proteins along DNA. The small G proteins act as molecular switches in signalling pathways that control a wide range of functions, such as signalling from a cell-surface receptor to the nucleus.
The proteins share several common features in the way that they transduce the biochemical process of nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis to the biological function. Particular stages of the nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis cycle are intimately associated with conformation changes of the protein. These protein changes modulate protein-protein interactions in a way that produces the biological function.
In a wider sense these proteins are representative of the large array of nucleoside triphosphatases that are involved in cellular processes. The energy of ATP or GTP hydrolysis is converted into other forms of energy or is used to provide some sort of molecular switch. Examples include nitrogenase in nitrogen fixation, the calcium pump ATPase and elongation factors involved in proofreading protein biosynthesis.
The general theme of my work is the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of the processes involving such motor proteins and small G proteins. This also involves the development of new techniques to study processes of interest. The project can be divided into four areas:
- Development of fluorescent biosensors
- The relationship between the biochemical steps of ATP hydrolysis and mechanical events in muscle and other cell motility systems
- The role of small G proteins in cell signalling
- DNA helicases: mechanism of coupling ATP hydrolysis to DNA translocation
[Page last updated 21 Jun 2006]