Date of Award
6-1996
Document Type
Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
Kristin Fox
Language
English
Abstract
Candida albicans is a yeast that is known to target humans with weakened immune systems. The growth rate and invasiveness of C. albicans is stimulated in the presence of estrogens. Experimental evidence suggests that the estrogen-binding protein (EBP) from C. albicans may be involved in the estrogen-induced increase in growth rate. In order to investigate the possible involvement of EBP in this process, work is underway to determine the atomic structures of EBP alone and bound to estrogen. Protein crystals of EBP have been grown at 4°C in the presence and absence of estrogen using vapor diffusion techniques from a solution of 2% Polyethylene glycol, 2.0M ammonium sulfate, 0.1 M sodium HEPES at pH 7.5, and a protein concentration of 5.0 mg/ml. Once large, diffraction quality crystals have been grown, x-ray diffraction data will be collected from the crystals and used to solve the three dimensional structure of EBP. The structure will be useful in answering questions about how estrogen interacts with EBP and possibly understanding how estrogen induces the growth rate of C. albicans.
Recommended Citation
Weinstein, Jeffrey R., "The crystallization of estrogen-binding protein" (1996). Honors Theses. 2056.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/2056
Rights Statement
