HBCU Equipment for AFOSR Project 13RSL012: The Mechanism by which ADP Regulates the Structure and Function of the Protein KaiC
Abstract
Organisms have adapted to the relentless cycles of night and day by evolving an internal timekeeping system called the circadian clock, which induces healthy rhythms of rest and activity in synchrony with the earths rotation. Adverse health and cognitive effects are incurred when this synchrony is chronically disrupted. However, the mechanisms by which these molecular clocks oscillate and transduce timing signals are unclear in any organism. The goal of this equipment grant is to support research in the lab of Andy LiWang, whose objective is to elucidate the molecular mechanism of biological timekeeping. Funds from this grant were used to purchase several pieces of instrumentation that are being used to measure interactions between circadian clock proteins, in order to understand how their interactions produce biochemical rhythms that match sunrise and sunset. Detailed knowledge of clock protein-protein interactions at the structural and thermodynamic levels, and under non-equilibrium conditions is expected to allow the LiWang lab to develop predictive models of clock behavior. The United States military is expected to benefit from this research, because it could lead to new strategies with which to minimize the negative effects of circadian disruption on its personnel as they are deployed across different time zones.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 18, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1001100
Entities
People
- Andy LiWang
Organizations
- University of California