CMSP Seminar (Atomistic Simulation Seminar Series) 20 November, 11:00hrs, by Prof. Ben-Naim

[CMSP Seminars Secretariat]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMSP Seminar (Atomistic Simulation Seminar Series)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Monday, 20 November 2023, 11:00 hrs*
*/Oppenheimer Room (Leonardo Building, second floor)/*/Zoom registration 
link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrduioqjwrGteRryXyXITvK_KiDFA6XyT4
<https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrduioqjwrGteRryXyXITvK_KiDFA6XyT4>/

Speaker:*  Arieh Ben-Naim * (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel).

Title: *Solvent-Induced effects on Protein Folding, Protein- Protein 
Association, and Molecular Recognition*

Abstract:

Many biochemical processes such as protein folding or self assembly of 
proteins are highly specific. Proteins fold spontaneously into a very 
specific 3-dimensional structure. Proteins also associate spontaneously 
to form multi-subunit macromolecules. These processes occur in aqueous 
media. The question we pose is what is the role of water in these processes?
Until recently it was believed that the hydrophobic effect, i.e. the 
tendency of hydrophobic groups to “escape” from the aqueous environment 
is the dominant driving force for these processes.
Analysis of all the solvent induced contributions to the thermodynamic 
driving forces for protein folding and protein-protein association 
reveals that, contrary to the commonly accepted paradigm, hydrophilic 
interactions might be more important than hydrophobic interactions.
This conclusion was reached after critically examining the data on the 
various contributions to the driving forces for protein folding, and 
protein-protein association. Examples on the role of hydrophilic 
interactions on solubility of proteins, protein folding, protein-protein 
association and molecular recognition will be presented. Thus, 
hydrophilic interactions not only help in understanding the role of 
water in biochemical processes, but they can also be applied to design 
drugs that bind stronger to their targets.


CMSP, Condensed Matter & Statistical Physics Section
http://www.ictp.it/research/cmsp.aspx

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics
https://www.ictp.it/

    
----