Camilla Winkler, MSc

Stabilisation of mineral in solution by the modified serum protein Fetuin-A

In addition to blood cells, mineral salts, lipids, sugars and proteins also circulate in the blood. Fetuin-A is a protein that helps to balance mineral salts. Fetuin-A is formed in the liver and secreted into the blood, where it helps to stabilize insoluble mineral salts, especially calcium phosphates, in solution. This is important because calcification in tissues can have life-threatening consequences. Fetuin-A consists of three domains, two cystatin-like domains (CY-1 and CY-2) and a C-terminal disordered region (CTR) and can bind calcium phosphate by special structural properties, preventing it from precipitating in circulation. Fetuin-A is post-translationally modified. In addition to glycosylation, there is also Ser/Thr phosphorylation. We hypothesize that phosphorylation of Fetuin-A regulates mineral binding.  My project is about the structure-function analysis of Fetuin-A particularly with regard to the modifications of the protein by phosphorylation.