Aproximación biotecnològica a metalproteases (II)

The use of protein engineering approaches is proposed for the redesign of metallo-carboxypeptidases and of their protein inhibitors to use their derivatives in various biotechnological applications, particularly those of pharmaceutical type related with the control of cancer proceses, and those of agronomic type related with the protection of vegetals against insects. Previously or in parallel, it will be analyzed the three-dimensional structure and functionality of various natural forms of those molecules beloging to organisms of wide evolutive relation, or of precursor or mutated forms, to decipher their essential and accessory elements, and to guide its redesign. It is also intented to analyze the presence of metallo-proteases en pancreatic disfunctions, particularly in adenocarcinoma and in derived celular lines, and its potential use as markers of such disfunctions. Moreover, it will be investigated the use (and development) of new biological systems form the production of recombinant proteins, and the effects of the redesign of the stabillity and refolding of carboxipeptidases and protein inhibitors over such a production. These studies would be complemented with the development of new informatics-based procedures for the structural-functional analysis and simulation of proteins, and to facilitate its engineering.