Proteins are also important in maintaining the structure of cells and their organelles. More importantly, understanding protein structure and function is very important in treating diseases, as most drugs exert their pharmacological actions by binding to specific proteins to alter their functions. This instrumentation allows him to study proteins at the resolution of single atoms. Each protein, and there are thousands, has unique functional properties which depend on its 3-D structure. This information is critical to understanding how a protein functions, and designing new drugs that fit specifically into a nook or cranny to change a protein's function in a predetermined manner.
Sigma is very important because it controls the growth and replication of bacteria.
AsiA binds to sigma in bacteria and dynamically changes sigma's function. If too much AsiA is present, the bacteria die. In other words, AsiA can act as an antibiotic. Dr. Urbauer is interested in understanding, in exquisite detail, this interaction. Because sigma is present in all bacteria, the potential exists for creating a novel class of broad spectrum antibiotics, since bacteria are killed by excess AsiA .