Official Project Description
This project simulates several myosins found in the human body.
Myosins are the proteins responsible for most of the force generated by the body, from the contraction of muscles to the movement of materials around the cell.
Although structurally similar, myosins actually differ substantially in their properties and distribution in the body.
This project is studying those differences, especially the differences in speed and power.
We are interested in how this might help us understand diseases that result from defects in myosin, including Usher syndrome and, especially, hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies.
We are using this information to understand and design specific theraputics that don't have off-target effects.
Myosin was featured as the PDB Molecule of the Month in June 2001. Preliminary results from p18300-18308 have provided some promising insights into drug specificity for these myosin motors.
P18312-18321 are expanding upon the previous stretch of simulations and looking to refine our models for these drug binding sites.