search articles:     from the issue of January 25, 2007         Paper focuses on role of cysteines in proteins  BY DAN MOSER, IANR NEWS SERVICE A team of scientists led by UNL biochemist Vadim Gladyshev has developed a new way to rapidly identify amino acids in proteins that have redox function. The work is published in the current issue of Science magazine.   CYSTEINE RESEARCHERS - UNL biochemists Vadim Gladyshev (left) and Dmitri Fomenko are part of a team of scientists that has developed a new way to rapidly identify amino acids in proteins that have redox function. Their work is featured in the current issue of Science magazine. University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources photo.   The process developed by Gladyshev and Dmitri Fomenko, a research assistant professor in Gladyshev's laboratory, focuses on cysteines, amino acids found in most proteins. In some proteins, cysteines have no critical function, while in others they play roles such as binding metals, regulating certain protein functions, or targeting proteins to a particular location in cells. In still other proteins, cysteines are key players in redox regulation, which is a basic biological process used by all organisms. The team's work, which used UNL's supercomputer PrairieFire, developed a simple, accurate way to determine which cysteines are redox active. Following this bioinformatics procedure, the researchers then verified their technique by characterizing a protein involved in arsenic detoxification, one of many proteins the team has found to contain a redox cysteine. Cysteine appears to be unique among other amino acids found in proteins in that it is amenable to this approach, which provides large-scale, highly selective prediction independent of protein type or organism from which the protein is derived. Other members of the team who coauthored the article are David Thomas and Blakely Adair of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Weibing Xing of the University of North Carolina. GO TO: ISSUE OF JANUARY 25 NEWS HEADLINES FOR JANUARY 25 From the hand of Willa Cather Car fire results in flood for Hewit Place galleries Gallup, UNL form D.C.-based program Water leaks flood Oldfather Hall, Hewit Place African-American leaders summit Jan. 26 Enron whistleblower to speak Feb. 12 at Lied Center Gene-silencing work may help fight viral, other diseases Paper focuses on role of cysteines in proteins Partnership offers tax assistance for low-income families Regents propose 280-hour vacation time cap 732701S36613X