home > faculty > regan

LYNNE J. REGAN

Protein structure, function and design
Research interests of the Regan lab encompass protein structure, folding and design; protein-protein interactions and protein-RNA interactions.  Our research is problem based, and we use whatever techniques are most appropriate as a particular project develops.  Our research ranges from fundamental studies of protein stability to the design of novel protein-based nano-materials.  Our interest in protein-protein interactions ranges from the design of proteins with novel binding activities and characterization of their properties using a range of techniques including fluorescence, circular dichroism, surface plasmon resonance, NMR and x-ray crystallography to the specific inhibition of protein-protein interactions in vivo as a route to a novel class of anti-breast cancer agents.  Our interest in protein-RNA interactions is focused on structure and function of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP).  Fragile X Mental Retardation Syndrome  is the most common cause of inherited mental retardation in humans, and is caused by lack of functional FMRP.  Here our approaches range from structural studies of FMRP, to whole animal profiling of RNA and protein expression patterns in wild-type versus FMRP knock-out animals.


Selected Publications
Magliery, T. J. and Regan, L. (2004) "Beyond consensus:  statistical free energies reveal hidden interactions in the design of a TPR motif" Journal of Molecular Biology 343:731-745.

Kajander, T., Cortajarene, A. L., Main, E. R., Mochrie, S. G. and Regan, L. (2005) "A new folding paradigm for repeat proteins" Journal of the American Chemical Society 127:10188-10190.

Magliery, T. J., Wilson, D. G. M., Pan, W. and Regan, L. (2005) "Detecting protein-protein interactions with a GFP-fragment reassembly trap:  scope and mechanism" Journal of the American Chemical Society 127:146-151.

Cortajarena, A. L. and Regan, L. (2006) "Ligand binding by TPR proteins" Protein Science 15:1193-1198.

Valverde, R., Pozdnyakova, I., Kajander, T., Venkatraman, J. and Regan, L.  (2007) "Fragile X Mental Retardation Syndrome:  Structure of the KH1-KH2 domains of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein" Structure 15:1-9.

Last updated 11-05-2007