Measurement of the entropy of protein structural changes using the millimeter-wave passive thermography

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14684
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Structural biochemistry
• Research Institution: Gifu Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Kishigami Akio 岐阜女子大学, 家政学部, 教授 (40261177)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 莅戸 立夫 富山大学, 大学院理工学研究部(工学), 准教授 (00261149)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: thermodynamics / protein / millimeter-wave

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We attempted to measure BSA solution at around 200 K using a passive millimeter-wave microscope system that can measure thermal energy absorption non-invasively at low temperatures. The measurement results suggested a transition from one heat absorption state to another. To reveal the function of a protein with high efficiency, specificity and accuracy is to reveal the dynamics within the thermally fluctuating protein structure. Thermodynamic parameters of protein dynamics are obtained by protein calorimetry. The research results are expected to be a new method of protein calorimetry since it is considered that the change of thermal energy absorption accompanying the major transition of protein structure could be observed.

Free Research Field

動物生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的な意義は、黒体輻射現象のプランク則を原理とするミリ波放射を応用した装置と低温トラップ法を組み合わせた新規な考案に基づいて、凍ったタンパク質水溶液からタンパク質熱放射だけの検出を実施したことである。また、タンパク質機能の解析に必要なタンパク質熱量測定をおこなう場合、熱変化を直接測定するDSCやITCは、熱伝導と熱平衡状態が必要なために測定に時間を要する。一方、van’t Hoff則を利用する分光測定法は、近似的値しか得られない。しかし、非侵襲的で2元画像化が可能なミリ波パッシブ顕微鏡システムは、既存の問題を越えて、多検体を同時に短時間で測定する装置への応用が期待される。