Axel Agbenyegah
Axel Agbenyegah, a junior studying Chemistry and Music at Amherst College, synthesized peptides for the disruption of a viral protein-protein interactio
Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) regulate a complex and intricate number of cellular processes and signaling pathways, including signal transduction and cellular metabolism, and are considered important targets for the design of compounds of therapeutic interest. However, the identification of binding sites on protein surfaces and the development of modulators of protein-protein interactions still represent a major challenge due to their highly dynamic and extensive interfacial areas. If properly structured, peptides can mimic natural interaction motifs and can cover large interaction areas thus increasingly attracting the interest of the scientific community to address PPIs
At first, I felt overwhelmed by the scientific expertise around me, but after nine weeks, I knew I truly belonged at the Ó³»´«Ã½. Spending my summer with curious and intellectual scientists helped me grow both personally and professionally. The transformative mentorship I received taught me to tackle scientific questions, network, and present my work effectively. I am forever grateful for my first research experience with BSRP, and I am leaving with meaningful relationships. I’m excited to use these skills in my future scientific endeavors. The project focuses on synthesizing peptides aimed at preventing the interaction between viral proteins and host proteins thereby lowering the onset and progression of various cancers, including cervical, prostate, and head/neck cancers. These synthetic peptide analogues derived from the interaction interface of the two proteins can potentially change the way the two proteins interact thereby preventing the above forms of cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that modifying specific positions within the peptide sequence enhances the peptide’s affinity towards the protein, thus we are systematically exploring additional modifications to optimize the peptide’s binding affinity. Synthesis of peptides has been carried out with an automated peptide synthesizer; while purification and characterization of the synthesized peptides were carried out with RP-High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry. By comprehensively understanding the interactions at these protein-protein interfaces and developing peptides with high specificity and affinity, our research endeavors to advance the field of drug discovery against targeted diseases, like cancer.
Project: Disrupting Protein-Protein Interactions with Synthetic Peptides
Mentor: Harsha Chilukuri, Cancer Program
