METHODS FOR ALTERING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PROTEIN STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITIONS PRODUCED THEREBY

摘要

Methods for altering the three-dimensional structure of a selected protein without denaturing the protein are described. The method involves identifying the hydrophobic residues within the protein to be altered, distinguishing the hydrophobic residues in the protein into large and small residues. Mutants of the protein are then generated and assayed for a switch in three-dimensional structure. Also described are modified p53 oligomerization domains, produced according to the method of the invention, and fusion proteins containing these modified oligomerization domains. Also described are nucleic acid sequences encoding these proteins and compositions containing the proteins and nucleic acid sequences.