Membrane Protein Structure and Function Summary Human cells contain 46 chromosomes carrying the genes for approximately 70,000 different proteins. Each of these large polymeric protein molecules either serves a structural function or is involved in catalyzing a reaction in the cell. As a result of remarkable advances in x-ray crystallography over the last several years, the three dimensional structures of well over 1000 proteins are now known. Relatively little is known about the structures of the roughly 15,000 different proteins that are embedded in cellular membranes. Indeed, the structures of only about ten membrane proteins have been solved.
Membrane proteins present formidable technical challenges.
First, it is necessary to purify them from biological membranes, a process requiring the judicious use of complex, highly specialized detergents. These two enzymes play critical roles in human health and disease. There are five scientific Subprojects and three technical service cores comprising the program project. Each of the Subprojects is directed by an MSU faculty member including Drs. Bill Smith , Mike Garavito , Dave DeWitt and Shelagh Ferguson-Miller from the Biochemistry Department and Drs.