MRI: Acquisition of a Circular Dichroism Spectrometer for Research and Training of Undergraduate Students

MRI：购买圆二色性光谱仪用于本科生的研究和培训

• 批准号: 1623941
• 负责人: Kumar Sinniah
• 金额: $ 8.92万
• 依托单位: Calvin University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-08-15 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1623941&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Circular; Dichroism; Spectrometer

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI), the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) as well as the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) programs, Professor Kumar Sinniah from Calvin College and colleagues David Benson, Douglas Vander Griend, Rachael Baker and Jiyan Ma have acquired a circular dichroism (CD) spectrometer. Many chemical and biological molecules are chiral (having structures that are not superimposable - like our hands). Chiral molecules that are prevalent in living organisms can exist in two forms. These can be described as having left-handed or right-handed conformations. A CD spectrometer can determine which form or whether a mixture of both is present. The spectrometer can follow changes as the chiral molecule binds to another molecule (ligand), rearranges its structure, or reacts (perhaps with a drug or an antibody). Therefore, CD spectroscopy is ideally suitable for probing protein (or other macromolecular) structures or changes to structures due to environmental conditions or to the binding of a ligand. CD spectroscopy has been widely used for three types of measurements: identifying the structure of proteins, studying the conformational changes during folding and unfolding of proteins, and determining the energetics involved in binding interactions and protein unfolding. This spectrometer is used by undergraduates. While being trained to use this important tool, the research experience prepares the students for future careers and advanced degrees in medical and scientific fields. This award is aimed at enhancing education and training of undergraduates and advancing research, especially in areas such as: (a) investigating the binding interaction between G-quadruplex DNA and insulin, (b) measuring the far ultra-violet and the near-infrared circular dichroism to understand the contribution of cysteine-tyrosine post-translational modifications on protein stability and function, (c) investigating the folding and unfolding thermodynamics of proteins and peptide systems, (d) investigating the functional role of Ras monoubiquitination, and (e) monitoring the folding, stability, and conformational conversion of various prion protein mutants.

卡尔文学院的 Kumar Sinniah 教授及其同事 David Benson、Douglas Vander Griend、Rachael 荣获主要研究仪器 (MRI)、化学研究仪器和设施 (CRIF) 以及生命过程化学 (CLP) 项目颁发的这一奖项Baker 和 Jiyan Ma 购买了圆二色性 (CD) 光谱仪。许多化学和生物分子都是手性的（具有不可叠加的结构 - 就像我们的手）。生物体中普遍存在的手性分子可以以两种形式存在。这些可以被描述为具有左手或右手构象。 CD 光谱仪可以确定存在哪种形式或是否存在两者的混合物。当手性分子与另一个分子（配体）结合、重新排列其结构或发生反应（可能与药物或抗体）时，光谱仪可以跟踪变化。 因此，CD 光谱非常适合探测蛋白质（或其他大分子）结构或由于环境条件或配体结合而引起的结构变化。 CD 光谱已广泛用于三种类型的测量：识别蛋白质的结构、研究蛋白质折叠和展开过程中的构象变化以及确定结合相互作用和蛋白质展开过程中涉及的能量。该光谱仪供本科生使用。 在接受使用这一重要工具的培训时，研究经验为学生未来的职业生涯和医学和科学领域的高级学位做好了准备。该奖项旨在加强本科生的教育和培训并推进研究，特别是在以下领域：(a) 研究 G-四链体 DNA 与胰岛素之间的结合相互作用，(b) 测量远紫外线和近红外线圆二色性以了解半胱氨酸-酪氨酸翻译后修饰对蛋白质稳定性和功能的贡献，(c) 研究蛋白质和肽系统的折叠和展开热力学，(d) 研究 Ras 的功能作用单泛素化，以及（e）监测各种朊病毒蛋白突变体的折叠、稳定性和构象转换。