Alteration of protein stability
OwnerCharles Russell Middaughinventor
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Abstract
A method of identifying compounds having effects on protein stability is provided. The method is capable of efficiently screening high numbers of compounds for their effects on a number of different proteins. Additionally, the present invention identified compounds and classes of compound which alter the stability of proteins. Compounds useful in the present invention include molecules having more than one charge. These molecules bind to unpaired charge sites on the surface of proteins, thereby altering the stability of the protein. The effect of the compounds on the protein is determined by the inhibition of protein aggregation attributable to the presence of the compound.
Claims63
A method of altering the stability of a protein comprising the step of:
- contacting said protein with a compound, said compound comprising a molecule having more than one charge.
A method of altering protein aggregation comprising the steps of:
- providing a protein in solution;
- contacting said protein with a compound, said compound comprising a molecule which contains more than one charge.
A method of screening compounds which alter the stability of proteins, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a protein in solution;
- adding a compound to said solution, said compound comprising a molecule which contains more than one charge;
- adding a stability altering agent to said solution;
- and
- determining the effect of said agent on the stability of said protein.
A protein having an altered stability, said protein having a ligand bound thereto, said ligand comprising a molecule having more than one charge, wherein said protein without said ligand bound thereto exhibits a first stability and said protein with said ligand bound thereto exhibits a second stability.
A ligand which binds to a protein, said ligand having the formula q-(Gly)n-q, wherein q represents a charged amino acid and n is from 1 to 6.
A method of determining the effects of a compound on a protein, said compound comprising a molecule having more than one charge, said method comprising the steps of:
- adding said protein to a first solution;
- adding said protein and said compound to a second solution;
- adding a dye binder to said first and said second solutions;
- measuring the fluorescence of said first and said second proteins;
- and
- comparing said fluorescence of said first protein with said fluorescence of said second protein.
A method of determining the effects of a compound on a protein, said compound comprising a molecule having more than one charge, said method comprising the steps of:
- adding said protein to a first solution;
- adding said protein and said compound to a second solution;
- measuring the intrinsic fluorescence of said first and said second proteins;
- and
- comparing said intrinsic fluorescence of said first protein with said intrinsic fluorescence of said second protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.