Group Members

portrait

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