Experimental and Modeling Study of the Optical Properties, Heat and Cold Tolerance, and UV-Resistance of the Eye Lens Crystallins

眼晶状体蛋白的光学特性、耐热性、耐寒性和抗紫外线性的实验和模型研究

• 批准号: 1410415
• 负责人: Rachel Martin
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-15 至 2018-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410415&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Experimental; Modeling; Study; Optical; Properties

Nontechnical: This award by the Biomaterials Program in the Division of Materials Research to University of California Irvine is for developing a scientific understanding of how nature produces transparent, durable biomaterials, as exemplified by the proteins making up the eye lens. Although the molecular details of these proteins vary among different organisms, they are functionally similar in their high stability and resistance to temperature extremes and UV-light damage. Understanding the structural factors diverse lens proteins have in common will help guide the design of future temperature and UV-resistant biomimetic materials. The educational plan includes training of students at the Ph.D. and undergraduate levels. These students will be trained not only in the specific skills needed to complete the research, but also in thinking and problem-solving across disciplinary boundaries. Another important component is outreach to middle school and high school students. The goal of the outreach program is to increase interest in science as a career among middle school students and includes a variety of activities and visits to the PI's labs. Technical: This project seeks to understand the molecular basis of protein stability, in particular resistance to extreme temperatures and UV light exposure. Studies of extremely stable structural proteins that are not homologous but play the same functional role will provide insight into sequence determinants of stability without interference from effects that are conserved due to enzymatic activity in thermostable enzymes. The particular proteins chosen for this effort are eye lens crystallins from three organisms adapted to extreme environments. The box jellyfish (Tripedalia cystophora) J2-crystallin has a high thermal stability, while the gamma-S1- and gamma-S2-crystallins from the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) help confer unusual cold tolerance on the eye lens of this organism. The iota-crystallin of the diurnal gecko Lygodactylus picturatus, has an unusual UV protection mechanism involving binding of a retinol derivative. NMR and optical spectroscopic studies coupled with molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations will elucidate the important structural factors and intermolecular interactions that confer high stability on these proteins, guiding the future design of biomimetic materials. The educational plan includes training of students at the Ph.D. and undergraduate levels, who will be exposed to a broad range of experimental and computational techniques, as well as the continuation of a successful outreach program aimed at middle school students.

非技术性：该奖项由加州大学欧文分校材料研究部生物材料项目颁发，旨在对自然如何产生透明、耐用的生物材料（例如构成眼睛晶状体的蛋白质）产生科学理解。尽管这些蛋白质的分子细节在不同生物体之间有所不同，但它们在功能上相似，具有高稳定性以及对极端温度和紫外线损伤的抵抗力。了解不同晶状体蛋白的共同结构因素将有助于指导未来耐高温和抗紫外线仿生材料的设计。教育计划包括博士生的培训。和本科水平。这些学生不仅将接受完成研究所需的特定技能的培训，还将接受跨学科界限的思考和解决问题的培训。另一个重要组成部分是对初中生和高中生的宣传。外展计划的目标是提高中学生对科学作为职业的兴趣，包括各种活动和参观 PI 实验室。技术：该项目旨在了解蛋白质稳定性的分子基础，特别是对极端温度和紫外线照射的抵抗力。对非同源但发挥相同功能作用的极其稳定的结构蛋白的研究将提供对稳定性的序列决定因素的深入了解，而不会受到由于热稳定酶中的酶活性而保守的效应的干扰。为此目的选择的特定蛋白质是来自三种适应极端环境的生物体的晶状体蛋白。 箱形水母 (Tripedalia Cytophora) J2-晶状体蛋白具有很高的热稳定性，而来自南极齿鱼 (Dissostichus mawsoni) 的 γ-S1- 和 γ-S2-晶状体蛋白有助于赋予这种生物体的眼睛晶状体不同寻常的耐冷性。 昼行性壁虎Lygodactylus picturatus 的iota 晶体蛋白具有一种不寻常的紫外线防护机制，涉及视黄醇衍生物的结合。核磁共振和光学光谱研究与分子动力学和蒙特卡罗模拟相结合，将阐明赋予这些蛋白质高稳定性的重要结构因素和分子间相互作用，从而指导仿生材料的未来设计。教育计划包括博士生的培训。学生和本科生将接触广泛的实验和计算技术，并继续针对中学生的成功推广计划。