|
39337.jpg=There are more than 100,000 proteins in our bodies, so understanding proteins helps us understand what influences our health.|23598.jpg=Scientist can grow the protein crystals in space and study them on the ISS. But they can also send the crystals back to Earth for analysis.|68814.jpg=Growing protein crystals in microgravity is easier than it is on Earth, but scientists still need some sophisticated equipment!|45817.jpg=Proteins come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their crystal forms.
|
|
Health Advances
 
How many proteins are in the human body? Try … more than 100,000! They have a variety of functions that fulfill crucial roles for our health and well-being. And though they come in all shapes and sizes, proteins have three-dimensional, complex structures. When those structures repeat in a pattern, they can form crystals. In fact, space provides the most suitable environment to study protein crystals. In the microgravity environment of the ISS, scientists are better able to grow proteins into crystals — often into much bigger structures that are in a consistent pattern. Since these crystals in space are much easier to examine, scientists can better understand their structures and their functions. And because abnormal proteins can cause diseases such as muscular dystrophy, we are much closer to finding cures for them.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Proteins? Space? Crystals? Strange combination, right? Actually, another way to put it is: "Proteins + Space = Crystals" because it's the combination of proteins and space that have led to amazing growth of crystals. In your body, there are more than 100,000 proteins. Though they are microscopic, proteins are three-dimensional and complex. And if they grow in size, they tend to repeat their complex structure in a pattern, sometimes forming crystals. In space, forces like gravity and convection don't affect the growth patterns, so crystals are able to form even better. That's why Proteins + Space = Crystals!
So what's the big deal about proteins and crystals? Other than water, proteins are the second largest component in muscles, cells, and other tissues in our bodies, where they perform many different functions. They are often referred to as the "worker" parts of cells. Like proteins, our cells perform different functions, and it's the proteins in the cells that make sure the cells do what they're supposed to. (That's why they're called the workers.)
A crucial role that proteins often play is as enzymes, working to make sure that the right chemical reactions happen within each cell. Roughly 4,000 different reactions happen in our bodies thanks to these types of proteins. And it's not just that the correct chemical reactions happen, it's that they happen quickly. Enzymes are called catalysts because they speed up the chemical reactions. In fact, there is one type of enzyme in our bodies that speeds up the process so much that it takes only 18 milliseconds to occur versus 78 million YEARS if there were no enzyme!
Complex stuff, right? That might be one of the reasons why the structures of proteins are so complex! It is definitely a reason why scientists on the ISS are so interested in studying proteins. The process of growing proteins into crystals is called crystallization, and the study of crystals is called crystallography. So the scientists who study protein crystals are called … you got it: crystallographers. You don't need to be in space to be a crystallographer, but it sure does help.
As with so much of the research that scientists conduct on the ISS, crystallography research benefits tremendously from the unique environment of microgravity. The lack of forces that we have on Earth creates incredible results. In the case of proteins, the results are often larger, better defined crystals. In large part, that's because there is no convection (which is the flow of molecules in a particular direction), so the protein molecules form in an orderly fashion and repeat their patterns over and over again.
On the ISS, scientists have created a number of different crystals from different types of proteins. Depending on the protein, the process takes two to four months. It starts with a protein mixture (solution) inside a tube. Scientists then add what's called polyethylene glycol — gradually increasing the amount until it triggers crystallization. At that point the real advantages of microgravity take over as the crystals grow and grow.
Given that proteins play such a major role in our bodies (and in our health!), crystallography research seeks to improve medical treatments. Clearly, proteins benefit us in many ways, but they can also be causes of disease. The medicines developed to cure or stop the spread of those diseases are like "keys" for the "keyholes" in the proteins. It's kind of like putting the key into the keyhole and turning it off or locking it so it can't spread! To keep going with that image, imagine that the keyhole for each kind of protein is different, so each key needs to be different. Not only that, there are so many proteins for which scientists have not yet determined what their keyholes look like! Proteins in their crystal form are much more likely to reveal the shape of their keyholes.
So crystals are a key to unlocking some of the mysteries of proteins. The "good" proteins also have their unique keyholes, so examining their structure might reveal how to find ways to help them do more of their good thing to improve health, too. Here's an update to the formula: Space + Proteins + Crystals = Incredible Medical Advances!
Escher Wannabe, Geometry & Symmetry
I'm an artist. Ok … let's just say that I like to draw a lot! I love drawing geometric shapes. Even when I was a little kid I would draw all these different patterns. Now I have something else to start drawing! Some of my friends think it's strange that I like science and I like art. I don't see the big deal. I remember learning all about symmetry in science, like our eyes are in the middle of our head and our armspan or whatever is usually the same as our height. And so much in nature is symmetrical. It's great for drawing. I think the whole protein crystal research is pretty interesting. It's given me an idea for drawing. I'm thinking about what if something microscopic on Earth could grow a lot bigger and be even more 3-D. What would it look like? I want to draw that.
Desmond, Not sure I get it
This is like way over my head! I think I understand the basic point. The pictures help me a little bit. So it's like a way to make the protein bigger by making it into a crystal? Is this like crystals that are rocks? I guess those crystals are repeated patterns of something. They're not cells like proteins cause cells are living. Rocks are not living! We learned about the different kinds of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic). Are those crystals igneous? These protein crystals are interesting. I get why they grow better in microgravity but I don't really get what the benefits are.
|
|
|
|
