71st ICREA Colloquium – The unbearable lightness of being (a protein)

ABSTRACT

Speakers: Dr. Xavier Barril (ICREA/UB) and Dr. Xavier Salvatella (ICREA/IRB Barcelona)

When: 14th of June 2016 at 6pm

Where: ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys, 23, 6th floor

Topic:

Proteins adopt beautiful shapes that enable them to perform an incredible array of tasks. But these wiggly little creatures cannot stay still. Is this a nuisance or a blessing?  

Abstract:

Proteins are the gooey stuff that makes life possible. They live in a state that is neither solid nor liquid, and their biological functions depend crucially on keeping a balance between order and disorder. However, solid entities are far simpler to understand and we tend to use (and abuse) the  rigid body approximation until it breaks. In this colloquium Xavier Barril and Xavier Salvatella will present the issue of protein flexibility from different perspectives, discussing structure and dynamics, and exploring how far we must/can go into the order-disorder spectrum.

After a basic introduction to proteins, Xavier Barril will focus on the implications of protein flexibility for drug discovery. Showing that a rigid representation has been, and continues to be, extremely useful. He will present some of the failures and challenges in introducing a more realistic view, but also how the dynamic perspective is gaining ground thanks to the advances in structural biology and computational chemistry.

Xavier Salvatella will discuss where the limit is: can proteins be completely disorganised? Can we study and understand intrinsically disordered proteins from a structural point of view? How can this class proteins perform functions if they have no structure? Why have they evolved? Is it ever going to be possible to modify the function of this class of proteins with small molecules, as we have learned to do with proteins that fold? 

The ICREA colloquia are a great way to learn about remote fields of research from our best experts. We usually have two speakers, who offer their opinions on the same subject from very different angles. Open to all ICREAs and their guests. There’s wine and munchies at the end, please book in advance!