WCC 21 |
| Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the depletion of dopamine linked to the presence of Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra. These fibrillar cytoplasmic inclusions are primarily composed of α-synuclein. The function of α-synuclein is currently unknown, but α-synuclein aggregation has been linked to the etiology of Parkinson's disease. The project goals are to identify key fragments of α-synuclein that affect aggregation and to identify key lysine residues that influence aggregation behavior. There are three phases in the project strategy: synthesizing fragments of α-synuclein and testing for inhibition of aggregation of the whole protein, replacing lysine residues with alanine residues in active fragments, and incorporating lysine residues modified with a small molecule into active peptide fragments. As the aggregation behavior in the presence and absence of the fragments is compared, we hope to increase the understanding of α-synuclein aggregation behavior in the progression of Parkinson's disease. |
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Many Faces of Chemistry: Merck Index Women in Chemistry
1:00 PM-3:00 PM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster
Women Chemists Committee |