Understanding how distant changes in human enzymes disrupt their activity
Official title: Linking Conformational Dynamics to Activity Impairment of Disease-associated Human Enzymes
Funded at Florida State University · NIH-11396250 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in people’s biology will look at how mutations far from an enzyme’s active site can still slow or impair its function in a disease-linked enzyme called ASNS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $417,439 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM160337-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396250 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with ASNS deficiency or related enzyme mutations, or researchers seeking to apply these methods to patient-derived samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without ASNS-related conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will investigate how changes far from the active site of asparagine synthetase affect its activity by examining protein dynamics, using HDX-MS, enzyme tests, and cell-based tests. The work combines kinetic measurements with advanced techniques to map how distant mutations alter conformational movements and catalytic steps. Outcomes will help explain why certain missense variants cause disease and establish a framework to study many other human enzymes linked to inherited conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This research could help explain disease-causing mutations and guide future therapies or diagnostics for ASNS-related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that protein dynamics can influence enzyme activity, and this project extends those concepts to disease-associated variants, with potential for foundational impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida State University
Tallahassee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhu, Wen — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Zhu, Wen
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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.