NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology for FY 2011

2011 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金

基本信息

批准号：
1103715
负责人：
Maria Kamenetska
金额：
$ 12.3万
依托单位：
Kamenetska Maria
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Fellowship Award
财政年份：
2012
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1103715&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship Biology FY

项目摘要

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2011, Intersections of Biology and Mathematical and Physical Sciences. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow at the intersection of biology with physics. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Maria Kamenetska is "Unwinding DNA: measuring mechanical stiffness of a single DNA molecule to understand histone control over gene transcription." The host institution for this fellowship is Yale University with sponsoring scientists Drs. Lynne Regan and Simon Mochrie.Histone proteins package DNA into chromatin. This research explores how histones control the unwinding of DNA to open it for the steps that lead to protein synthesis. Changes in histones are believed to affect the pliability of chromatin and thus the accessibility of DNA for transcription. Single molecule nano-manipulation and force-spectroscopy techniques from physics are being used to quantitatively assess the affect of histone modification on DNA. Chromatin re-constituted with exclusively wild-type or modified histones is being prepared for studies that use optical tweezers and AFM-based force-spectroscopy techniques to stretch single chromatin tethers and measure their mechanical and structural properties. These experiments enable an unambiguous comparison of pliability of individual DNA molecules with different histone compositions and thus reveal the role of histones in controlling gene expression.Training objectives include learning molecular biological techniques and acquiring relevant biochemical skills to prepare homogenous preparations of chromatin fibers. Broader impacts include educational outreach to biology students to learn single molecule nano-manipulation techniques and generally promoting the dissemination of physical approaches in biological science at the host institution. Also, outreach includes developing and teaching a physics-based module to supplement the biology curriculum for Breakthrough New Heaven, a summer program for disadvantaged middle-school students.

这项行动资助了 2011 财年 NSF 生物学博士后研究奖学金，即生物学与数学和物理科学的交叉领域。该奖学金支持在生物学与物理学交叉领域的研究员所在实验室的研究和培训计划。 Maria Kamenetska 的这项奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题是“解开 DNA：测量单个 DNA 分子的机械硬度，以了解组蛋白对基因转录的控制”。该奖学金的主办机构是耶鲁大学，赞助科学家为 Drs。 Lynne Regan 和 Simon Mochrie。组蛋白将 DNA 包装到染色质中。这项研究探讨了组蛋白如何控制 DNA 解旋，以打开 DNA 进行蛋白质合成的步骤。人们认为组蛋白的变化会影响染色质的柔韧性，从而影响 DNA 转录的可及性。物理学中的单分子纳米操作和力谱技术被用来定量评估组蛋白修饰对 DNA 的影响。仅用野生型或修饰组蛋白重组的染色质正在准备用于使用光镊和基于 AFM 的力谱技术来拉伸单个染色质系链并测量其机械和结构特性的研究。这些实验能够明确比较具有不同组蛋白组成的单个 DNA 分子的柔韧性，从而揭示组蛋白在控制基因表达中的作用。培训目标包括学习分子生物学技术和获得相关生化技能，以制备染色质纤维的均质制剂。更广泛的影响包括对生物学学生进行教育推广，以学习单分子纳米操纵技术，并普遍促进主办机构生物科学物理方法的传播。此外，外展活动还包括开发和教授一个基于物理的模块，以补充“突破新天堂”的生物课程，这是一个针对弱势中学生的暑期项目。