There are two ongoing projects in the lab:
- We are working to better understanding the relationship of sequence, structure, and function of Cecropins – a class of antimicrobial peptide (AMPs) found in insects. We are focused on single amino acid changes in the hinge region. We are also creating truncated, Cecropin-inspired peptides to create de novo, shorter AMPs.
- The Smith group is using peptides and metal ions to target specific protein-protein interactions. We engineer peptides to include metal-binding moieties using either natural or non-natural amino acids. In the presence of metals, we can control the secondary and tertiary structure of our peptides so that they will specifically interact with protein or DNA binding partners.