Project Director

Sánchez Díaz, Luis Enrique

Department Examiner

Hamblen, Joshua

Department

Dept. of Chemistry and Physics

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Apopliprotein or ApoA-1 is a complex lipoprotein that functions in the removal of cholesterol from the blood, removing cholesterol from the area around white blood cells and promoting the excretion of lipids through the lymphatic system. Previous research has found that ApoA-1 shows both folded and unfolded conformations depending on the concentration of NaCl in solution in the water around it. The protein was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Once this state of equilibrium was reached, various structural properties of the protein were measured including the radius of gyration and the radial distribution function. The goal of the project was to determine if ApoA-1 had stable folding conformations in various concentrations of Potassium Chloride and how those concentrations compared with the concentration of Sodium Chloride around known stable conformations. Previous research has determined that in a range of concentrations from 0.5M to 2.0M ApoA-1 has both folded and unfolded conformations. We are now working to study Potassium Chloride in these concentrations to determine if the radius of gyration results will be the same as the ones found in studying the sodium chloride. This research will determine if the healthier salt potassium chloride, allows for the same folded and stable conformations of ApoA-1.

Acknowledgments

Dr. Luis-Sanchez Diaz, Dr. Josh Hamblen

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2021

Subject

Apolipoproteins; Molecular dynamics; Protein folding

Keyword

apolipoprotein; ApoA-1; molecular dynamics; protein folding

Discipline

Biochemistry | Physical Chemistry

Document Type

Theses

Extent

46 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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