Finally, we presented BioCoRE , a collaborative research environment for structural biology within which researchers can visualize information, share resources and interact with each other and with structural biology tools via a common infrastructure and across time zones and continents. We have installed a low-cost cluster of 32 PCs with 1.1GHz Athlon processors, 256MB of RAM, and switched fast ethernet. The new machine will be useful for simulations such as the stretching of the muscle protein titin . This work seeks to examine in atomic detail the dynamics and structure-function relationships of this 30,000 amino acid long filament in muscle contraction and elasticity. The cluster also provides a powerful engine for interactive simulations .
Water can act as a conformational lubricant for protein folding.
The giant muscle protein titin, also known as connectin, is a roughly 30,000 amino acid long filament which plays a number of important roles in contraction and elasticity. A photosynthetic variant explains how nature harvests sunlight. Most photosynthetic life forms employ mainly chlorophylls for absorbing sun light and fueling its energy into their metabolism. However, dynoflagellates, e.g., the species Amphidinium carterae, utilizes predominantly carotenoids for light absorption. In Halobacteria the proteins serve the bacterium's energy needs as well as steer the bacterium into areas that are lit appropriately.