Interaction of Cu(II) ions with a fragment of Park9 protein

Parkinson Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative pathology whose causes have not yet been fully clarified. In this perspective, we have chosen short fragments of Ypk9 protein that include interesting sequences for metal binding and are highly conserved in a number of different organisms, located in domains of the protein readily accessible to the metals. We studied their behaviour towards divalent cations such as manganese and zinc, using NMR mono- and bidimensional techniques and EPR spectroscopy. As this study was going on, we also started the investigation on Cu(II) coordination, showing by a series of potentiometric and spectroscopic measurements that this metal too is able to effectively bind the chosen sequence. Here we would like to report our latest findings.