C-DIP Fellowship fund 2010 call: Interdisciplinary studies of proteins and seedlings in a strong gradient magnetic field

Protein molecules are involved in nearly every process within the cells of a biological organism. Determining the chemical structure of a protein is essential to understand the mechanism by which the protein interacts with the cell and its function within the cell. It is key to understanding many diseases. X-ray crystallography is the most common method of protein structural analysis. This technique requires growing a protein into a single crystals, with as few crystal defects as possible. In many cases, it is difficult to grow high quality crystals large enough to obtain an x-ray structure. Research has recently shown how a cluster of smaller 'crystallites' can be aligned by a strong magnetic field so that it behaves like a single large crystal, suitable for x-ray crystallography. We will determine whether this technique can be used to obtain the x-ray structure of a protein problematic for current techniques.

A germinating seed may be buried in the soil at any angle. It is, of course, very important for the growing seedling to know which way is 'up', in order for it to send its embryonic root and shoots in the correct directions. A growing seedling can determine the direction of 'up' and 'down' directly by sensing the direction of gravity. The mechanism by which the plant cells detect the direction of gravity remains to be fully elucidated. By using a strong magnetic field to apply forces to the cellular gravity sense structures, we will attempt to alter the response of the plant to gravity, in order to obtain additional clues to the sense mechanism itself. We will also investigate the response of the growing seedling to a pseudo altered gravity and zero-gravity environments, which will inform future space missions.

This proposal consists of two pilot studies, which have the potential for wider benefits beyond academia.
Our studies of magnetically aligned protein crystallites, for x-ray structure determination, could help in the effort to find the mechanisms and causes of diseases associated with particular proteins, benefitting healthcare.
Our studies of magnetically-altered gravitropism will aid the understanding of the gravity sense mechanism in seedlings. Determining the stress response of the plant to pseudo zero-gravity conditions will inform the plans for future space missions of the feasibility of plant growth in orbit and in deep space.