Simulation of the Interaction Between Striated Muscle UNC-45 and Transcription Factor GATA-4

<p> Striated Muscle UNC-45, also known as UNC-45b, is an important protein that acts as a chaperone for myosin in cardiac and skeletal muscles, binding to myosin at its C-terminal UCS domain and regulating its assembly into thick filaments and sarcomeric structures. The UCS domain contains a large loop that is believed to be the first point of interaction between myosin and UNC-45b. GATA-4 is an essential transcription factor that facilitates transcription of several genes in cardiac development, particularly alpha-heavy chain myosin in heart tissue. Recently, studies have shown that there is interaction of GATA-4 with UNC-45b and that GATA-4 binds to the UCS domain. The implications of this interaction suggests that UNC-45b may play a role in not only the folding of myosin, but in the transcription of it as well. The aim of this study was to identify potential interaction interfaces between GATA-4 and the loop of UNC-45b and determine if the interactions are specific through computational models. Computational analysis suggests that the UCS loop is the preferential binding site of GATA-4 and that van der Waals packing is the primary method of binding.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Natural Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Duncan, Drake Alexander

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Odutayo Odunuga
• Dr. Darrell Fry
• Dr. Michele Harris

• UNC-45
• GATA-4
• bioinformatics
• UCS
• chaperone
• transcription factor
• interaction
• Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/371

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1402