Ataxin active site determination using spectral distribution of electron ion interaction potentials of amino acids.

Ataxia is a genetic neurological disorder characterised by a neurodegenerative process affecting a motor cortex responsible for balance and coordination. Recently several genes that cause autosomal dominant ataxia development were identified. These abnormal genes share a common ability to produce abnormal ataxin proteins that can affect nerve cells in the cerebellum and spinal cord. Here, using the Resonant Recognition Model (RRM) based on signal processing, we analysed ataxin proteins and identified the characteristic features corresponding to their biological activities. The RRM is a physico-mathematical model developed for analysis of protein interactions. By incorporating Smoothed Pseudo Wigner-Ville distribution (SPWV) in the RRM, we can define the active regions along the protein molecule. The results showed that our computational predictions correspond closely with the experimentally identified locations of the active/binding sites for ataxin-1 and ataxin-3 protein groups. The results obtained provide a valuable insight into the functional performance of ataxin proteins.