GN's+Bioinformatics+page

= = = Overview of Bioinformatics =

= = = Project Links: = =**GN's logbook**= =**Terms and Concepts**= = = =**NPC2 Analysis**= =**Mutagenesis Summary**= =**To EL's Bioinformatics page **=
 * ==Bioinformatics is defined as the use of information technology in molecular biology.==
 * ==In my case, this involves using computer software to analyze how mutations of the protein NPC2 affect Niemann Pick disease, a fatal disease associated with improper removal of lipids from cells. This is a continuation of EL's Bioinformatics project, and draws heavily from it.==
 * **The NPC2 protein is one of two proteins that is known to be involved with the disease. More than that, little is known about how it and its counterpart, NPC1, interact, both with each other and the cell at large.**
 * ==Before getting started, one must have a strong grasp of some underlying terms and concepts. A summary of these can be found on the Terms and Concepts page.==
 * **To determine the functionality of NPC2, one starts by deciding which areas are significant. One does this by mapping which amino acids in the protein are evolutionarily well-conserved, and relating it to the tertiary structure. From this, conjectures can be made about how the form fits the function. For an in-depth explanation, click here .**
 * ==We can then test these conjectures by mutating those segments and seeing how the protein behaves in a living cell. The full procedure on making a mutation can be found at www.stratagene.com/manuals/ 200518.pdf If that doesn't work, just Google search stratagene quickchange mutagenesis. For a summary, click here.==