Tzviya Zeev Ben-Mordehai Ph.D. Student

My research examines the adhesion properties of two members of the CLAM family. CLAMs are neuronal-cell-adhesion proteins characterized by sequence similarity to AChE. Included in the CLAMs family is gliotactin, a Drosophila transmembrane protein that participates in forming the blood-nerve barrier.

Using biophysical techniques such as far UV CD, Trp fluorescence, and 1H-NMR, I study the in vitro conformational characteristics of the cytoplasmic domain of gliotactin. I am also cloning the gene for the extracellular domain of Neurotactin, another member of the CLAM family. Currently I am attempting to over express the protein in several expression systems in order to be able to crystallize and solve its 3D structure.