"Uncharacterized proteins" refer to proteins that have not been studied or fully understood yet. Their functions, structures, and roles in biological processes are unknown, and they have not been classified or characterized like other proteins that have been extensively studied.
Full definition
Structural genomics analysis
of uncharacterized protein families overrepresented in human gut bacteria identifies a novel glycoside hydrolase.
She studied a
previously uncharacterized protein called YabA, which controls the binding of bacterial DNA to a protein called DnaA, whose essential role in kick - starting DNA replication had long been known.
Initial analysis of the archetypal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron genome identified 172 glycosyl hydrolases and a large number of
uncharacterized proteins associated with polysaccharide metabolism.
Using the Coon lab's powerful spectrometry techniques, they gained clues about the functions of
uncharacterized proteins by mapping their interactions with known ones.
Our approach is to use high resolution structural information for the generation of selective inhibitors (chemical probes) which we use to gain understanding of the functions of these
largely uncharacterized proteins.
Gilmore recalls having the «Wow» moment while looking at the sequences rather than the physical protein: «When we got the sequence back, the first thing I did was to sort by size, and at the top you could see a large,
uncharacterized protein.
We build detailed 3D atomic models of
the uncharacterized proteins and their complexes to derive hypotheses that, in close collaboration with the experimentalists, help to predict and understand their function and networks.
This initial project focused on 50
uncharacterized proteins that, based on literature searches, showed some likelihood of being associated with human disease.
Drawing conclusions from this large number of proteins analyzed we have put forward a scheme for systematic localization of
uncharacterized proteins, pointing at potential pitfalls of each method and when and how you need to complement the methods or use other methods», says Emma Lundberg.