Using structural and physical-chemical parameters to identify functional districts in proteins - the role of electrostatic potential

Goran Neshich

Proteins exist and function in a very dense environment of the cell interior. There they fold, they exercise their function and practice specificity, they interact with other proteins and they bind with specific agents. For each of these activities, proteins have a very peculiar district which we were able to describe in terms of corresponding nano-environment. I will be briefly describing the procedure for identification of protein interfaces, catalytic site residues and secondary structure elements, all in terms of their nano environment and consequently, the importance of the parameter: electrostatic potential.