LEAPS-MPS: Structural and Functional Characterization of Tick Vaccine Antigen Homologs

LEAPS-MPS：蜱疫苗抗原同系物的结构和功能表征

• 批准号: 2137713
• 负责人: Erica Jacobs
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: Saint John's University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2137713&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: LEAPS; MPS; Structural; Functional; Characterization

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). In this project, funded by the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and housed in the Chemistry Division, Professor Erica Jacobs and her students at Saint John’s University will study the relationship between the structure of a chemical (Bm86, a recombinant protein) found in a bovine anti-tick vaccine and its function. These studies are expected to provide insight into how Bm86 provides immunity from ticks. Prof. Jacobs’s broadening participation plan includes paying undergraduate and MS students (at Saint John’s University, a minority serving institution) to support their research experiences in place of external jobs, and development of course-based undergraduate research (CURE) experiences that will introduce a much broader audience to research experiences than would otherwise be possible. She will also increase her ongoing efforts to incorporate antiracist pedagogy into Chemistry courses.Professor Jacobs proposes to examine structural parameters of the recombinant protein Bm86, which is an anti-tick vaccine antigen, and its homologs, with the hypothesis that particular structural features of Bm86 and its homologs in the tick Ixodes scapularis underlie the effectiveness of immune responses directed against them. She will also examine functional parameters of Bm86 homologs by defining their protein interactomes in tick cell homogenates and bovine blood via an affinity purification approach, with the hypothesis that Bm86 homologs bind to cellular or extracellular matrix receptors in the tick gut, leading to cell signaling and/or adhesion events. It is further hypothesized that these proteins, which are expressed in the lumen of the tick gut, may have additional binding partners in bovine blood, identification of which may lead to insight as to function of these proteins. Proposed work is highly collaborative and will provide research experiences to undergraduate and MS students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该奖项全部或部分由《2021 年美国救援计划法案》（公法 117-2）资助。在该项目中，由数学和物理科学理事会资助，并设在化学系，Erica Jacobs 教授和她的学生。圣约翰大学的研究人员将研究牛抗蜱疫苗中发现的化学物质（Bm86，一种重组蛋白）的结构与其功能之间的关系，这些研究有望提供见解。雅各布斯教授的扩大参与计划包括向本科生和硕士生（在少数族裔服务机构圣约翰大学）支付费用，以支持他们的研究经验来代替外部工作，以及基于课程的本科生研究的发展。 （CURE）的经历将比其他方式向更广泛的受众介绍研究经历，她还将加大力度将反种族主义教学法纳入化学课程。雅各布斯教授建议检查化学课程的结构参数。重组蛋白 Bm86（一种抗蜱疫苗抗原）及其同源物，假设肩突硬蜱中 Bm86 及其同源物的特定结构特征是针对它们的免疫反应有效性的基础。她还将检查功能参数。通过亲和纯化方法在蜱细胞匀浆和牛血中定义 Bm86 同源物的蛋白质相互作用组，假设 Bm86 同源物与细胞结合或蜱肠道中的细胞外基质受体，导致细胞信号传导和/或粘附事件，进一步发现这些在蜱肠道内腔中表达的蛋白质可能在牛血液中具有额外的结合配偶体，并对其进行鉴定。拟议的工作是高度协作的，将为传统上在科学领域代表性不足的群体的本科生和硕士生提供研究经验。该奖项的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的评估被认为值得支持。智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。