Programme

P.36 -- Poster, NCTP-39

Date: Wednesday, 30-07-2014

Time: 14h00 - 15h30

Effects of Macromolecular Crowding on Protein Folding

Bui Phuong Thuy (1,2), Hoang Thi Thu Huong (1), Trinh Xuan Hoang (1)

(1) Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology; (2) NamDinh University of Technology Education

Apart from the aid of molecular chaperones, folding of most proteins in vivo is known to be strongly influenced by the presence of a large number of macromolecules at a very high concentration in the cytoplasm. In this study we investigate the equilibrium and kinetic effects of macromolecular crowding on folding of proteins by using molecular dynamics simulation method with Langevin equation. A coarse-grained Go-like model is adopted for protein while the crowders are modeled as hard spheres that interact with the protein via repulsive potentials. Our results show that the crowders enhances stability of protein. Folding is faster but less cooperative as the volume fraction of crowders increases. The effect of crowder's size on folding is discussed in comparison to experiments and other theoretical results.

Presenter: Bui Phuong Thuy