Proteins are biological molecules involved in almost all processes in living cells. They act as transporters, regulators, structural components and catalyst. The majority of proteins possess a particular three-dimension structure, obtained during the folding process. If this process is malfunctioning, proteins are not able to fold in a specific way, and consequently they are not able to perform their function, or this functionality is significantly decreased, what is a cause of many human's diseases.

During his PhD studies, Wojciech Paslawski investigated the folding mechanism of membrane protein GlpG and the structural features behind formation of cytotoxic ?-synuclein oligomers. GlpG belongs to one of the most widespread protein family called rhomboids that can be found in all kingdoms of life. ?-synuclein is well known for being a main culprit in Parkinson’s disease, where it forms a protein plagues consisting of rope like structures called amyloid fibrils and diverse oligomeric species. Wojciech Paslawski has shown that same ?-synuclein sequence fragment form a core structure of two types of oligomers. The first oligomer is an intermediate specimen leading to formation of ?-synuclein amyloid fibrils, while the second one was found to be a very stable structure, resistant to even huge changes in environment conditions, and the most interestingly, do not form amyloid deposits. These oligomers were found to be more toxic toward the neuronal cell cultures, than any other structure formed by ?-synuclein.

The PhD degree was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Science and Technology, Aarhus University.

Time: Friday, 14 March 2014 at 13.15
Place: 1593-012, the Auditorium, the iNANO House, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus University
Title of dissertation: Characterizing dynamic protein structures
Contact information: Wojciech Paslawski, e-mail:wojpas@mb.au.dk, tel.: +45 8161 7208
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor, Director Sheena Radford, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
Associate Professor Kasper Dyrberg Rand, Department of Pharmacy, Analytical Biosciences, University of Copenhagen
Associate Professor Duncan Sutherland (chair), iNANO, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Professor Daniel Otzen, iNANO and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English.

The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, room 112, 8000 Aarhus C.