Presidential Young Investigator Award: Bioorganic Chemistry

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Dr. Schepartz has organized her research to encompass three areas of concentration. Protein affinity cleavage will be probed by the synthesis of molecules containing a protein ligand tethered to a reactive metal ion. Current studies involve the synthesis of a synthetic peptide designed to affinity cleave the FK-506 receptor FKBP. Affinity cleaving reagents will also be developed to give entry into the realm of RNA:protein interactions. Studies on the molecular recognition of RNA will be based upon the synthesis of linked oligonucleotide probes which consist of two short DNA oligos linked by a tether of prescribed length. The sequences of the two oligos are designed to complement unique and remote single stranded regions in the RNA. Third, self-assembling molecules will be prepared utilizing the assembly of dimeric receptors using a mechanism of transition metal chelation. %%% Dr. Alanna Schepartz of the Chemistry Department at Yale University is being supported by the Synthetic Organic Program as a Preseidential Young Investigator. She will focus her research efforts in the area of macromolecular bioorganic chemistry. By combining the techniques of organic chemistry and molecular biology, Dr. Schepartz will study the molecular basis of protein recognition, molecular recognition of RNA and how to turn receptors on and off.