How cellular 'motor' proteins help keep proteins healthy
Mechanisms of Molecular Motors in Transcription and Protein Homeostasis
Researchers are figuring out how tiny cellular 'motor' proteins use energy to prevent proteins from misfolding, which could help people with age-related conditions like type II diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251720 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will measure how AAA+ "motor" proteins use ATP to unfold and move damaged proteins, working with representative motors from yeast and bacteria. They will combine fast transient-state biochemical measurements and single-molecule imaging to define the step-by-step mechanics and timing of these reactions. Because protein quality control weakens with aging and contributes to conditions such as type II diabetes and some neurodegenerative diseases, these detailed mechanics could point to ways to stop harmful protein clumps. Although the experiments use yeast and bacterial model proteins, the fundamental machines are conserved and the results can guide future human-focused therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with age-related protein-misfolding conditions (for example, type II diabetes or certain neurodegenerative diseases) would be the most relevant patient group if follow-on clinical studies are developed.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to protein misfolding or who need immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal targets or strategies to prevent harmful protein misfolding and aggregation that contribute to age-related diseases like type II diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution structures of related motors exist, but combining transient kinetics with single-molecule approaches to define elementary rate-limiting steps is relatively novel and aims to fill that knowledge gap.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lucius, Aaron L — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Lucius, Aaron L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.