Laboratory of Protein - Nucleic Acid Inteaction Research

Head of the laboratory: prof. dr. Virginijus Šikšnys.

Laboratory of Protein – Nucleic Acid Interaction researches the structure of restriction endonucleases and the molecular mechanisms of their catalytic activity. The main questions, which are attempted to be answered, are as follows:

• How do the restriction endonucleases “differentiate” one sequence of nucleotides from other sequences?
• Do common principles between the identification of the sequence of nucleotides and catalysis exist, when using restriction endonucleases, recognising sequences of nucleotides, which are related?
• How is the identification of nucleotide sequence interrelated with catalysis?

The answers to the following questions are sought implying various methods:

• Applying the method of X-ray diffraction (in cooperation with prof. dr. R. Huber, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried), we establish spatial structures of restriction endonucleases;
• Applying the method of focussed mutagenesis, we investigate the role of separate amino acids within the specific recognition of the sequence of nucleotides and catalysis;
• Applying kinetic, spectroscopic, biochemical and thermodynamic methods, we investigate the mechanisms of interaction between restriction nucleases and DNA.

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