"Watching ""Transporter"" Proteins Using Computers"

Mittal, Shriyaa

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/103689 Copy

Description

Title

"Watching ""Transporter"" Proteins Using Computers"

Author(s)

Mittal, Shriyaa

Contributor(s)

• Shukla, Diwakar
• Selvam, Balaji

Issue Date

2019

Keyword(s)

Biophysics and Quantitative Biology

Abstract

"Proteins are tiny biological machines that make sure our bodies are working perfectly all the time. They come in many shapes and sizes, have multiple parts where and each part has a defined set of movements. ""Transporter"" proteins are attached to a cell membrane that separates the interior of a cell from the outside environment. These proteins catch a small molecule needed inside the cell from the exterior and help it to move inwards. For example, once we eat food, it is broken down into glucose, water, and minerals. Next, the transporter proteins take in nutrients from the blood into the cell. Any mis-step by transporter proteins can quickly lead to nutrient deficiency inside the cell. I study the transporter proteins' movement using computer modeling. On a computer, I observe the protein in its various acts such as recognizing the nutrient small molecule, opening at the top to gobble up small molecules, moving it further down and passing it into the cell's cytoplasm. Since computers are effective at number crunching, I look at the behavior of proteins over long time as they transport molecules."

Type of Resource

• text
• image

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/103689

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2019 Shriyaa Mittal

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