The effects of chemical structure on hydrolysis/uptake of small peptides in the marine environment

化学结构对海洋环境中小肽水解/吸收的影响

• 批准号: 1129659
• 负责人: Zhanfei Liu
• 金额: $ 33.33万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1129659&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: effects; chemical; structure; hydrolysis; uptake

An understanding of the cycling of carbon and nitrogen in the surface ocean is necessary for many reasons, including understanding the impacts of marine and other environmental changes in a changing climate. Much of the research focus has been on inorganic forms of carbon and nitrogen and, in particular, little is known about the cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds in the surface ocean and their impact. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin will investigate peptides and proteins, one class or organic nitrogen compounds released from marine biota. These compounds can be taken up and incorporated if they have sufficiently small molecular weight and/or recycled back to inorganic nitrogen by bacteria, potentially supporting primary production. Conversion, primarily by extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, produces small peptides or free amino acids that can be assimilated by microbes. The proposed research will investigate the mechanisms of peptide hydrolysis, their importance in the overall breakdown and/or preservation of DON in ocean waters, and the role of chemical structure in influencing the reaction pathways. The study will use novel and innovative techniques which are a substantial advancement over currently used approaches, to examine these processes. These approaches include the use of isotopically labeled compounds as well as specific compounds (peptides and related compounds) manufactured in the laboratory. The study should provide significant advancements in our understanding of DON dynamics in the marine nitrogen cycle. The project will involve students at the graduate, undergraduate and high school level and will have a significant outreach component. Interactions will include summer undergraduate programs, public seminars and related activities and Science and the Sea, a syndicated radio program.

由于许多原因，必须了解地表海中碳和氮的循环，包括了解海洋和其他环境变化在不断变化的气候下的影响。研究重点的大部分是碳和氮的无机形式，尤其是对地表海中溶解有机氮（DON）化合物的循环及其影响知之甚少。德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的研究人员将研究肽和蛋白质，一种类别或有机氮化合物，从海洋生物群释放。如果这些化合物具有足够小的分子量和/或通过细菌回收回到无机氮，则可以将其摄入并掺入，从而有可能支持一级产生。转化主要是通过细胞外酶水解的转化，会产生小肽或游离氨基酸，这些肽可以被微生物吸收。拟议的研究将研究肽水解的机制，它们在海水中DON的总体分解和/或保存中的重要性以及化学结构在影响反应途径中的作用。该研究将使用新颖和创新的技术，这些技术比当前使用的方法有很大的进步来检查这些过程。这些方法包括使用同位素标记的化合物以及实验室生产的特定化合物（肽和相关化合物）。这项研究应在我们对海洋氮周期中DON动力学的理解方面提供重大进步。该项目将涉及毕业生，本科和高中阶段的学生，并将有很大的外展部分。互动将包括夏季本科课程，公共研讨会和相关活动以及科学与SEA，这是一项联合广播节目。