The Role of RNA in Protein Folding and Aggregation
Protein folding is one of the most important mechanisms in living organisms as it allows for the proper function of cells. Nevertheless, protein misfolding and aggregation are a possibility that can lead to serious consequences, such as neurodegenerative disease. Successful protein folding is a consequence of molecular chaperones. These proteins are responsible for leading and guiding other proteins to fold successfully to their native state. Similarly, it has been indicated that nucleic acids, such as RNA and DNA, can also aid protein folding, and thus prevent protein aggregation. During the summer, I contributed to investigate the role that RNA sequences play in protein folding and through what mechanism. This was done by expressing and sequencing a variety of proteins and through the use of fluorescence techniques.