{"id":13572,"date":"2020-05-12T11:16:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T16:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/?p=13572"},"modified":"2020-05-15T14:37:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T19:37:50","slug":"dr-natalie-mikita","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/dr-natalie-mikita\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Natalie Mikita"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: #2d2d2d;background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:60px;padding-right:40px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:40px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: -40px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"font-size:32px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:31px;\"><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-left\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-dotted\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><h2 class=\"title-heading-center\" style=\"margin:0;font-size:1em;color:#f4f4f4;\">Research Opportunities with Dr. Natalie Mikita<\/h2><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-right\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-dotted\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: #e2e2d0;background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:30px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator section-separator triangle fusion-section-separator-1\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-svg fusion-section-separator-fullwidth\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #2d2d2d;\"><div class=\"divider-candy-arrow bottom\" style=\"top:0px;border-top-color: #2d2d2d;\"><\/div><div class=\"divider-candy bottom\" style=\"bottom:-21px;border-bottom:1px solid #2d2d2d;border-left:1px solid #2d2d2d;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-spacer fusion-section-separator-fullwidth\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-spacer-height\" style=\"height:1px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 fusion-parallax-none nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: #e2e2d0;background-image: url(&quot;https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/159\/2020\/05\/Copy-of-20181009ecMWSU_1265.jpg&quot;);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-blend-mode: screen;padding-top:80px;padding-right:40px;padding-bottom:80px;padding-left:80px;margin-bottom: -20px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:16.666666666667%;width:calc(16.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.16666666666667 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third\" style=\"width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 24pt;\">Protein-protein interactions: investigating the chemical interactions of a protease and its substrate.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proteins are linear chains of amino acids. The protein backbone is made up of the same repeating group over and over again, only the side chains coming off are different. Proteases are proteins themselves, more specifically they are enzymes, and these enzymes cleave the protein backbone. However proteases don\u2019t cleave every protein they come into contact with, they are very specific for their protein targets. When a protease does cleaves, it always cleaves at a very specific place, even though the backbone is the same everywhere. The reasoning for the difference in protease cleavage patterns is therefore not always known.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My research focuses on a protease called DegQ, and looks to determine the specific interactions the protease makes with its substrate which dictates where to cleave along the backbone. We perform experiments with the DegQ protease <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in vitro<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or outside the cell, monitoring its cleavage with substrate. All proteins are made from a DNA template, or its gene. We employ molecular cloning to acquire the gene, which we can insert into bacteria, and exploit the bacterial machinery to make our protein. We then purify this protein to remove all other contaminants found in the bacteria. We can then start performing reactions with the protease to obtain data. Therefore, my research sits at the interface of biology and chemistry, we employ techniques of both disciplines. You will therefore gain a very good understanding of biology and chemistry, however you will be able to participate even if you have taken nothing higher than general chemistry or general biology.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:16.666666666667%;width:calc(16.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.16666666666667 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-4 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:30px;margin-bottom: -20px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-5 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator section-separator triangle fusion-section-separator-2\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-svg fusion-section-separator-fullwidth\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e2e2d0;\"><div class=\"divider-candy-arrow bottom\" style=\"top:0px;border-top-color: #e2e2d0;\"><\/div><div class=\"divider-candy bottom\" style=\"bottom:-21px;border-bottom:1px solid #e2e2d0;border-left:1px solid #e2e2d0;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-spacer fusion-section-separator-fullwidth\"><div class=\"fusion-section-separator-spacer-height\" style=\"height:1px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-5 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: #2d2d2d;background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:40px;padding-right:40px;padding-bottom:40px;padding-left:40px;margin-bottom: -40px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-6 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-2 fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"font-size:32px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:31px;\"><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-left\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-dotted\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><h2 class=\"title-heading-center\" style=\"margin:0;font-size:1em;color:#f4f4f4;\">Contact Dr. Mikita<\/h2><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-right\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-dotted\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-7 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img width=\"320\" height=\"288\" alt=\"Dr. Natalie Mikita\" title=\"mikitaN\" src=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/159\/2020\/05\/mikitaN.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-13683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/159\/2020\/05\/mikitaN-200x180.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/159\/2020\/05\/mikitaN.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/span><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-8 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><h1><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Dr. Natalie Mikita, Assistant Professor<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-button-wrapper\"><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-lightgray button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry\/facultystaff\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">Faculty Profile<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-9 fusion_builder_column_1_2 1_2 fusion-one-half fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:50%;width:calc(50% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.5 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">(816) 271-4392<br \/>\nnmikita@missouriwestern.edu<br \/>\nOffice: Agenstein Hall 332D<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":13683,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[760],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13572"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13572"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13686,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13572\/revisions\/13686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/chemistry-au-fridays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}