Research
Research group:
Medical Protein biochemistry (Jan Johansson)
Research interests:
How proteins assemble into functional polymers, e.g. spider silk, and disease-causing amyloid, e.g. the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. We are particularly interested in nature’s systems for controlling protein self-assembly and the amino acid sequence determinants of amyloid formation.
Projects:
(1) The recently discovered proprotein chaperone Brichos as a general anti-amyloid factor, and its mechanisms of action in prosurfactant protein C biosynthesis.
(2) Design and analysis of helix stabilizers as inhibitors of Aβ amyloid formation.
(3) Molecular mechanisms in spider silk formation and studies of recombinant spider silk.
Group members:
Kerstin Nordling, Hanna Willander, My Hedhammar, Anna Rising, Siwei Peng, Urmimala Chatterjee, Jenny Presto, Mona Widhe, Ronnie Jansson, Erik Hermansson.
Contact information:
jan.johansson@afb.slu.se, tel. +46-18-4714065.
Tools and techniques
Tool/technique:
Design, production and isolation of recombinant proteins, protein structural studies and protein interactions by spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry, various techniques to study amyloid fibril formation (and inhibition thereof) in the test tube and in cells, cell models of
Responsible/contact person:
jan.johansson@afb.slu.se
For more detailed information of Jan Johannson research click here.