Effects of Aqueous-Organic Solvent Systems on Crystals and the Structure of the DNA Polymerase from the apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum
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The Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology was founded to give students an understanding of life principles through the understanding of chemical and physical principles. Among these principles are frontiers of biotechnology such as metabolic networking, the structure of hormones and proteins, genomics, and the like.
History
The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics was founded in 1959, and was administered by the College of Sciences and Humanities (later, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences). In 1979 it became co-administered by the Department of Agriculture (later, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences). In 1998 its name changed to the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology.
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1959–present
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- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (1959–1998)
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (parent college)
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The Symposium provides undergraduates from all academic disciplines with an opportunity to share their research with the university community and other guests through conference-style oral presentations. The Symposium represents part of a larger effort of Iowa State University to enhance, support, and celebrate undergraduate research activity.
Though coordinated by the University Honors Program, all undergraduate students are eligible and encouraged to participate in the Symposium. Undergraduates conducting research but not yet ready to present their work are encouraged to attend the Symposium to learn about the presentation process and students not currently involved in research are encouraged to attend the Symposium to learn about the broad range of undergraduate research activities that are taking place at ISU.
The first Symposium was held in April 2007. The 39 students who presented research and their mentors collectively represented all of ISU's Colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate College. The event has grown to regularly include more than 100 students presenting on topics that span the broad range of disciplines studied at ISU.
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Abstract
Malaria in humans, primarily caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is a mosquito-borne disease causing 450,000 deaths annually. Parasites emerging in central Africa, India, southeast Asia, and northern South America exhibit increasing resistance to antimalarial drugs. Malaria vaccines under development have yet to provide broad protection to vulnerable populations. Hence new, potent antimalarial drugs will likely play a central role in the control and eventual eradication of the disease. Plasmodium falciparum contains a plastid called the apicoplast. The apicoplast is absent in humans but necessary for parasite survival. Substances that poison the essential functions of the apicoplast, could serve as drugs for the treatment of malaria. The DNA polymerase of the apicoplast (apPOL) governs an essential function (DNA synthesis in support of apicoplast reproduction) and is a target of drug screening efforts. In order to use the current crystal form of the polymerase in drug screens, structures in the presence of several aqueous-organic solvent systems serve as controls, allowing the investigator to separate the effects of a bound inhibitor from the effects of the solvent system needed to solubilize the inhibitor. Presented here are crystal structures of apPOL in solvent systems containing dimethyl sulfoxide, 2-methyl-2,4-pentandiol and acetonitrile.