Abstract 1562 Elucidating the Impact of Point Mutations on the Cloud Point Temperature of Bovine Gamma B Crystallin: Implications for Cataractogenesis

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world, and over 20 million cataract surgeries are performed each year to restore vision. Crystallins are a class of ocular lens proteins responsible for the maintenance of lens transparency. Our research aims to understand how biologically significant mutations in Bovine Gamma B Crystallin, a homolog of Human Gamma D Crystallin, affect the temperature at which these proteins begin to aggregate, known as the cloud point. Mutations or modifications to the crystallin protein structure can lead to enhanced intermolecular interactions, resulting in aggregation and elevated cloud point temperatures; cloud points close to physiological temperatures have been implicated in cataract formation.