2013-08-272013-08http://hdl.handle.net/2346/50306Muscle cells undergo frequent damage and repair, which is an essential process to maintain cellular homeostasis. These processes involve plasma membrane repair and remodeling following damage. The inability of a cell to repair membrane lesions can lead to pathological conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cardiovascular diseases. Mitsugumin 53 (MG53) is a muscle-specific protein belonging to the tripartite motif (TRIM 72) family of proteins. MG53 primarily interacts with phosphatidylserine, a phospholipid that specific to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic face of intracellular vesicles. Interactions between MG53 and dysferlin are also thought to play a role in membrane repair. This work describes the analysis of MG53 using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis and Circular Dichroism (CD). These techniques are capable of measuring the thermodynamic properties that describe the interactions between MG53 and potential ligands, such as o-phosphoserine and dysferlin. The ultimate goal is to better understand the role of MG53 and its contribution to membrane repair.application/pdfen-USMitsugumin 53Membrane repairPhosphatidylserineO-phosphoserineThesisUnrestricted.