Group Members

Kaitlyn V. Ledwitch

Current research Professor

PhD in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Science, University of Georgia, USA
k.ledwitch [ at ] vanderbilt.edu
Vanderbilt University - MBRIII 5140 Office Suite

Research Interests:

• Integrative modeling
• Ion channels
• Membrane mimetics
• Membrane proteins
• Small-angle neutron scattering
• Structure determination
• Paramagnetic resonance
• Protein NMR
• Transporters

I develop biophysical technologies to elucidate the structure of membrane proteins (MPs) in lipid environments. Specifically, I am developing an experimental strategy that gives simultaneous access to several long-range distance and orientational restraints (PCSs, RDCs and PREs) by NMR through a noncanonical amino acid paramagnetic labelling strategy. These sparse experimental datasets are integrated with a computational RosettaNMR framework to drive MP structure prediction. This integrated framework is being benchmarked on a model MP system, the four-helical bundle DsbB from E. Coli. To further demonstrate the utility of this approach, I have successfully transitioned this technology from detergent micelles to circularized nanodiscs loaded with different lipid compositions. This work has also piloted complementary investigations using small-angle neutron/X-ray scattering to probe perturbations in the 3D-spatial representation of DsbB under different membrane mimetic environments.

Publication Link:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RC96DOQAAAAJ&hl=en