Transcripts
DR. LINGWOOD:
On the left here is shown the
crystal structure of the "B" subunit, as I said
it's a pentameter. You can see there's
five-fold symmetry. And a view from the side is shown
below. This is what's called a ribbon diagram,
where you can see all the amino acids as a
ribbon.
And here we actually have the
atoms in space filling module of two of the "B"
subunits.
This is how we've docked the
sugar molecule of Gb3, which is the lipid which
would stick into the plasma membrane, into what
we believe is the receptor binding site of the
toxin.
So understanding, firstly, how
this binding site specifically recognizes this
carbohydrate structure - this sugar sequence,
gives us an opportunity of interfering with this
process. And if we can prevent that kind of
binding, then we will protect cells against the
toxin.
