U.S.-Netherlands Cooperative Research: Biophysical and Genetic Studies of Flavoprotein Peroxide and Disulfide Reductases

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9400123 Claiborne This award supports Professor Alexander Claiborne, a postdoctoral associate, and a graduate student, all from Wake Forest University, to collaborate with three complementary research groups in the Department of Biochemistry at Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands. They will carry out biophysical and structural studies on several flavoproteins from Streptococcus bacteria, using state of the art nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and time resolved fluorescence techniques. They will also carry out experiments to gain understanding of the structure and genetics of two related lipoamide dehydrogenases. The U.S. group has developed extensive experience working with the enzymes in this medically relevant system. The Dutch investigators have great expertise and superb facilities for biophysical and genetic approaches to studying flavoprotein structure and function. The Wake Forest group has excellent complementary facilities, but they will obtain particular benefit from free access to the high field NMR equipment at Wageningen. Additional interaction with the Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research will strengthen the understanding of the genetics and physiology of streptococcal oxidative metabolism. Streptococcus has a unique defence against the leukocyte- mediated phagocytosis of bacteria, which is dependent upon destruction of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogenase and peroxidase enzymes being studied by Dr. Claiborne and his group control that defence. Preliminary studies and substantial advance planning with these Dutch experts have laid a promising foundation for collaborative research on this important system. The Dutch participants are heavily involved in two European scientific networks supported by the European Union. Their U.S. collaborators will also benefit from links with these other European experts. ***