A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group

Cottone, Grazia; Cupane, Antonio; Leone, Maurizio; Vetri, Valeria; Militello, Valeria

doi:10.3390/biophysica2040040

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A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group

by

Grazia Cottone

^*

,

Antonio Cupane

,

Maurizio Leone

,

Valeria Vetri

and

Valeria Militello

^*

Department of Physics and Chemistry Emilio Segrè, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Biophysica 2022, 2(4), 452-474; https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica2040040

Submission received: 15 October 2022 / Revised: 11 November 2022 / Accepted: 12 November 2022 / Published: 17 November 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Biophysics in Italy)

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Abstract

An overview of the biophysics activity at the Department of Physics and Chemistry Emilio Segrè of the University of Palermo is given. For forty years, the focus of the research has been on the protein structure–dynamics–function paradigm, with the aim of understanding the molecular basis of the relevant mechanisms and the key role of solvent. At least three research lines are identified; the main results obtained in collaboration with other groups in Italy and abroad are presented. This review is dedicated to the memory of Professors Massimo Ugo Palma, Maria Beatrice Palma Vittorelli, and Lorenzo Cordone, which were the founders of the Palermo School of Biophysics. We all have been, directly or indirectly, their pupils; we miss their enthusiasm for scientific research, their deep physical insights, their suggestions, their strict but always constructive criticisms, and, most of all, their friendship. This paper is dedicated also to the memory of Prof. Hans Frauenfelder, whose pioneering works on nonexponential rebinding kinetics, protein substates, and energy landscape have inspired a large part of our work in the field of protein dynamics.

Keywords: spectroscopy; aggregation; simulation; water; amyloid; saccharides

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cottone, G.; Cupane, A.; Leone, M.; Vetri, V.; Militello, V. A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group. Biophysica 2022, 2, 452-474. https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica2040040

AMA Style

Cottone G, Cupane A, Leone M, Vetri V, Militello V. A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group. Biophysica. 2022; 2(4):452-474. https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica2040040

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cottone, Grazia, Antonio Cupane, Maurizio Leone, Valeria Vetri, and Valeria Militello. 2022. "A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group" Biophysica 2, no. 4: 452-474. https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica2040040

APA Style

Cottone, G., Cupane, A., Leone, M., Vetri, V., & Militello, V. (2022). A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group. Biophysica, 2(4), 452-474. https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica2040040

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A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group

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