In cell protein crystallization for structure analysis

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K13095
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Chemical biology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Takafumi 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 教授 (70332179)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: タンパク質結晶 / 結晶構造解析 / タンパク質集合体 / 超分子化学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Due to the remarkable progress of X-ray crystal structure analysis, structure determination from micro protien crystals has been reported. These results are dramatically changing the common sense of protien crystallization which requires a long time, a large quantity and high quality of protein samples. One challenge using this technique is to determine protien structures with microcrystals formed spontaneously in cells. Natural systems utilize intracellular crystallization reactions for purification and storage of protein synthesized in vivo. In this study, we succeeded in the creation of protein crystals with pore spaces as intracellular templates as an innovative crystallization method for rapid crystal structure analysis. In addition, we succeeded in accumulating the target protein simultaneously produced in the crystal.

Free Research Field

生体関連機能化学