Estudos estruturais sobre a [Beta]-manosidase de Trichoderma reesei e a Triose fosfato isomerase de músculo de coelho

Abstract

This PhD thesis summarizes the results obtained during the PhD program of the author. The main project consisted in structural studies of β-mannosidase from Trichoderma reesei and rabbit muscle Triose phosphate isomerase (TIM). Protein Crystallography and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering have been the mostly used techniques. The main results are the low resolution structure and a putative fold of β-mannosidase and three cristallographic TIM structures, determined in two crystal forms and different temperatures. One of the subunits in the highest resolution TIM structure (1.5Å) has the active site loop in the closed conformation despite the absence of a ligand in the active site, what had not been observed before. Both projects have led to new and important biological information. As a result of the doctorate program, five articles have been published and two further are in preparation.