Fang Fang Yin
From WikidChem
Fang Fang is a graduate student in the Schatz Lab .
Research
Collaboration with Tom Steitz Lab: I work on RAG1 and RAG2 proteins, which are proteins expressed in B- and T-cells and make up the core of the recombinase machinery that catalyzes V(D)J recombination, a process that generates a large and diverse repertoire of B- and T- cell receptors that are responsible for recognizing a multitude of pathogens. Therefore, V(D)J recombination and the RAG recombinase machinery are critical for the function of adaptive immunity in all jawed vertebrates. To date, very little is known about these proteins and how they perform this reaction. For my thesis, I am using a combination of biochemical and biophysical techniques to elucidate the structure and function of the RAG recombinase, with a focus on RAG1. I have used X-ray crystallography to solve the structure of a small domain in the RAG1 protein bound to DNA. I am also using fluorescence spectroscopy techniques, e.g. anisotropy and FRET, to test whether the structural predictions arising from my crystal structure hold true in the context of the larger and more biologically relevant core RAG proteins. Characterization of mutants engineered based on my structure will also allow us to probe the structure of the domain in the context of the core RAG proteins. These experiments combined with the structure of the domain will give us a deeper understanding of how the RAG recombinase functions and potentially a glimpse of a portion of the synaptic complex.
