Graduation Year
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.S.
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
Degree Granting Department
Biology (Cell Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology)
Major Professor
Kristina Schmidt, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Gary Daughdrill, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Ernst Schönbrunn, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Meera Nanjundan, Ph.D.
Keywords
Alpha Helices, BLM, Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs), Protein NMR, RecQ Helicases
Abstract
The Bloom’s Syndrome Helicase (BLM) is one of five human RecQ helicases and is necessary for maintenance of genome stability. Whilst a crystal structure exists for the C-terminal domain of BLM, very limited structural knowledge is known about the intrinsically disordered N-terminal tail. This lack of insight exists, despite the fact that the N-terminus of BLM is essential for the overall biological activity of BLM. Here we provide an Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy based approach that we used to identify two distinct ⍺-helices contained within the first 100 residues of BLM. In addition, we propose a mutagenesis-based approach involving rationally designed proline mutants to determine the biological function of these ⍺-helices We also provide an experimental framework to characterize the remainder of the BLM N-terminus. Taken together the experiments described here will enable us to identify ⍺-helices in a mostly disordered region and develop a structure and biological function of the BLM N-terminus.
Scholar Commons Citation
Somasundaram, Vivek, "Identification of Secondary Structural Elements Contained Within the Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminal Tail of the Bloom’s Syndrome Helicase." (2022). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10408
