SMART Team2012

Matthew Gargulak

What is SMART Team?

• SMART Team is a program run by the Milwaukee School

of Engineering, in which students study professional

research on a specific protein, and then use a program called “jmol” to

create a 3D model of the protein.

http://people.msoe.edu/~uphoff/images/msoe.jpg

http://screenshots.de.sftcdn.net/de/scrn/79000/79152/jmol-5.jpg

The Black Plague• The most deadly epidemic in human history

– Claimed almost 100,000,000 lives (~30-60% of Europe)• First encountered in Sicily in 1347• Covered every inch of Europe by 1353• Epidemic didn’t end until 1671• Minor outbreaks have been recorded as recently as 1908, and the most recent isolated case appeared in 2009• It’s still very much alive today

• Comes in three forms:– Bubonic (lymphatic infection)– Pneumonic (respiratory infection)– Septicemic (blood infection)

• All caused by the same bacteria: Yersinia pestis

• The bacteria is found naturally in fleas, and is transmitted by the flea’s bite.

• Causes intense flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, and guaranteed death after roughly three days.

• Once infected, it spreads throughout the body at an alarmingly fast rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flea_infected_with_yersinia_pestis.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yersinia_pestis.jpg

http://uhavax.hartford.edu/bugl/images/buboneck.jpg

But Why is it So Deadly?

http://s3.hubimg.com/u/4780306_f520.jpg

Y.pestis is a gram-negative

bacteria

http://www.rkm.com.au/BACTERIA/Yersinia-pestis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gram-Cell-wall.svg

Fibrin and Clotting• Fibrin is a fiber-like protein that is found

naturally in the blood stream.• It allows blood clots to form by creating a

sort of net around the wound.• Usually, this “net” helps to contain

bacteria from an infection and prevent it from spreading.

• If a clot becomes too large, it can block off an entire blood vessel, leading to a

condition called “thrombosis”

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljie81F2VQ1qcmrkno1_500.jpg

Plasmin and Plasminogen• Too keep fibrin clots from becoming too large, your blood also

contains a protein called “plasminogen”.• Plasminogen doesn’t do much its own, but under certain conditions it will itself generate an enzyme called “plasmin”.

• Plasmin dissolves fibrin to break up clots.• Plasminogen is usually activated by a number of natural

activators that the body creates.

What Does this all Have to Do With the Plague?

• The Y.pestis bacteria creates an enzyme referred to as “PLA”

• The “PLA” protein was the main research topic for this year’s SMART Team.

• PLA is designed to latch onto plasminogen and cut a very specific strand, forcing it to generate plasmin.

• This extra plasmin destroys the fibrin clot around the area of infection, allowing the Y.pestis bacteria to spread unhindered.

Bibliographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_black_deathhttp://cbm.msoe.edu/includes/pdf/smart2012/Pla_Primary_Citation_2x55.pdfhttp://cbm.msoe.edu/includes/pdf/smart2012/Plague_Past_Present_Future.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasminogen