No.37 Seminar ： Is Protein Aggregation Our Friend or Not?
- Masayuki YAMASAKI（The Hakubi Center）
- 2012/03/27 4:00pm
- The Hakubi Center (iCeMS West Wing 2F, Seminar Room)
- English
Summary
Our DNA information seems to be selectively translated into linked amino acids, a newborn and poorly-structured protein. In theory, the protein should then: (1) fold correctly; (2) be transported to where it is required; and (3) function properly. However, our cellular system can sometimes struggle to oversee this process of protein maturation and to keep us healthy. It can fail occasionally for various reasons, meaning we acquire diseases due to the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates. Famous examples are BSE, Alzeheimer diseases, and other diseases you’ve heard of. As well as cancer related diseases, such protein aggregation associated diseases pose a major threat to modern life. My research focuses on this process of toxic protein formation and the mechanism that leads to disease, with the help of structural and biological techniques. On the other hand, it is interesting to note that there is growing evidence that protein aggregations are not necessarily harmful to life. Here, I’d like to discuss various angles on “what is protein aggregation?” by kicking off my talk with some fried-egg-science.