This award will support a two-year collaborative project between Dr. Benno P. Schoenborn, Center for Structural Biology, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Professor Hans G. L. Coster, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia, under the U.S.-Australia Cooperative Science Program. The scientists will cooperate in measuring the dielectric constants of selected protein crystals. Such information is important in understanding electrostatic interactions within and between protein molecules. These interactions are believed to play key roles in biologically important protein functions. Crystalline myoglobin will be studied initially in this project. The procedure is experimentally difficult, requiring micro- instrumentation as well as the use of extremely small electric currents. Existing equipment and instrumentation need to be improved before the measurements can be carried out, new computer software must be developed, and the theoretical approach used to convert the measured impedance values to useful dielectric constants needs to be further investigated. The respective strengths of the cooperating laboratories will be utilized in carrying out these preliminary tasks, as well as in the later measurements and data analysis. Dr. Schoenborn is an expert in using neutron scattering and other techniques to investigate the structure of proteins. Professor Coster has had considerable experience in impedance measurements of membranes. Working together in this project they expect to be able to obtain an increased understanding of protein structures and of the relationship between structure and function.
