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Structure determination of membrane proteins


EMSL Project ID
3361

Abstract

The juxtamembrane domain of the Epidermal growth factor
The epidermal growth factor receptor [reviewed in 1] is a member of a family of four receptors [EGFR (or ErbB1), ErbB2 ,ErbB3 and ErbB4] with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. It consists of a large extracellular domain, a single-helix transmembrane region, and a cytosolic kinase domain. EGFR is widely expressed on many cell types, including epithelial and mesenchymal lineages. Upon activation by at least five distinct ligands, the intrinsic kinase is activated and EGFR dimerizes, phosphorylates itself and numerous intermediary effector molecules. This initiates many signaling pathways causing important biological responses such as mitogenesis or apoptosis, enhanced cell motility, protein secretion, and differentiation or dedifferentiation. In addition to being implicated in organ morphogenesis, maintenance and repair, upregulated EGFR signaling has been correlated with a wide variety of tumors with increased cell division, and other aspects of malignant progression of the tumor - angiogenesis, metastasis and an inhibition of apoptosis.

Project Details

Project type
Capability Research
Start Date
2003-04-12
End Date
2005-05-16
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Frank Soennichsen
Institution
Case Western Reserve University

Team Members

Kiattawee Choowongkomon
Institution
Case Western Reserve University