The purpose of this project is to investigate the molecular structure and dynamics of proteins, peptides and proteoglycans. The structural and dynamical information obtained will be correlated with function. Areas of present interest are 1) Molecular structure and dynamics of collagen and DNA fibers. Flourine-19, nitrogen-15 and deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance techniques are being used to study the molecular dynamics and interactions in collagen and DNA fibers and in appropriate model compounds. 2) Proteoglycan dynamics and interactions with cations. Carbon-13, sodium-23, potasium-39, magnesium-25 and calcium-43 nmr spectroscopy are being used to study the interaction of glycosaminoglycan chains with cations in cartilage and in solution. 3) Mouse epidermal keratin subunit. Carbon-13 nmr is being used to study the structue of keratin intermediate filaments obtained from mouse epidermal cells. 4) Calcium binding proteins and pepides. This is a new project in which we are using multinuclear nmr to study the molecular structure and interactions of calcium with (a) staphylococcal nuclease and (b) peptides that transport calcium across cell and model membranes. For these studies, we have assembled state-of-the-art multinuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers which give spectra of solution and solids.
