Dr. Guy began modelling the structures of membrane channels in the mid 70’s beginning with β barrel models of bacterial porin, then moved on to transmitter receptors, voltage-gated K+, Na+, and Ca2+ and inward rectifying channels, K+ transporters, VDAC, mechanosensitive channels (MscL and Trek), antimicrobial peptides (magainin and cecropins), toxic peptides (melittin), and even shark repellent (pardaxin).
His group began collaborating with Harvey Pollard and Nelson Arispe in the early 90’s when they discovered that Aβ forms membrane channels. They published their concentric β barrel models of Aβ oligomers, annular protofibrils, and channels in 2010. Recently, they extended this concept to α-Syn and amylin channels, are revising and updating their Aβ models, and are developing models of Aβ interactions with α-synuclein, a peptide from the PRP prion, humanin, and cystatin C.
