Enzyme Dysfunction in Disease (30 pts)
Protein kinases are key regulators of cellular physiology and, consequently, their dysfunction is associated with many diseases. Conversely, mutations and other defects sometimes help to illuminate gene function. Continuing with the exploration of the PI3K/AKT pathway, this exercise will seek to illuminate the role of certain residues and motifs in molecular functioning of AKT.
(1) Diseases associated with AKT1 mutations were identified in the first exercise. Following the same procedure and PUBMED searches, identify diseases associated mutations of AKT2 and AKT3 (some relevant papers are provided below).
(2) Through literature search or the references below, generate a table of disease-associated mutations of the above genes.
(4) Generate a hypothesis on the role of the PI3K/Akt in cancer or any other disease.
(5) Make predictions based on experiments that can be conducted in cell lines.
(4) Conduct sequence alignments of these proteins by selecting homologues from divergent species and identify the most highly conserved residues and motifs.
(5) Download the structure of AKT with and without ligands from the PDB and propose the consequences of the above mutations in protein function.
(6) Propose some experiments to test the predictions.
(7) Highlight three of the most highly conserved motifs on the protein structure and comment on their possible role in AKT function
Enzyme Dysfunction in Disease (30 pts)
Protein kinases are key regulators of cellular physiology and, consequently, their dysfunction is associated with many diseases. Conversely, mutations and other defects sometimes help to illuminate gene function. Continuing with the exploration of the PI3K/AKT pathway, this exercise will seek to illuminate the role of certain residues and motifs in molecular functioning of AKT.
(1) Diseases associated with AKT1 mutations were identified in the first exercise. Following the same procedure and PUBMED searches, identify diseases associated mutations of AKT2 and AKT3 (some relevant papers are provided below).
(2) Through literature search or the references below, generate a table of disease-associated mutations of the above genes.
(4) Generate a hypothesis on the role of the PI3K/Akt in cancer or any other disease.
(5) Make predictions based on experiments that can be conducted in cell lines.
(4) Conduct sequence alignments of these proteins by selecting homologues from divergent species and identify the most highly conserved residues and motifs.
(5) Download the structure of AKT with and without ligands from the PDB and propose the consequences of the above mutations in protein function.
(6) Propose some experiments to test the predictions.
(7) Highlight three of the most highly conserved motifs on the protein structure and comment on their possible role in AKT function
