VPW: Thio Derivatives of Nuclei Acids for the Study of Metal Ion Binding Sites and RNA Structure

本研究的长期目标是利用RNA碱基和磷酸二酯的硫代衍生物来探索或利用核酸上的金属离子结合。第一个项目使用单一的硫代修饰将金属离子交联剂导向四膜虫核酶，目的是研究核酶结构和RNA的选择性失活。第二个项目研究了金属离子与4-硫脲和6-硫鸟苷的结合，并将4-硫脲结合到锤头核酶中被认为在金属离子结合中很重要的位置。金属离子-RNA相互作用是RNA结构的关键组成部分，在开发RNA失活治疗剂方面具有重要意义。课堂和研究实验室的互动活动涉及本科和研究生的女化学学生。目前正在教授研究生一级的生物无机化学跨学科课程，并正在举办一系列关于物理科学职业的讨论会，以便促使女学生考虑获得物理科学学位。

The long term goal of this research is to use thio derivatives of RNA bases and phosphate diesters to explore or to exploit metal ion binding on nucleic acids. The first project uses a single phosphorothioate modification to direct a metal ion cross-linking agent to a Tetrahymena ribozyme for the purpose of studying ribozyme structure and selective inactivation of RNA. The second project examines metal ion binding to 4-thiouridine and 6- thioguanosine and incorporate a 4-thiouridine into a Hammerhead ribozyme in positions thought to be important in metal ion binding. Metal-ion-RNA interactions are a key component of RNA structure and are important in the development of therapeutic agents for the inactivation of RNA. Interactive activities in the classroom and in the research laboratory involve both undergraduate and graduate female chemistry students. A graduate level interdisciplinary course in bioinorganic chemistry is being taught, and a seminar series is being run on careers in the physical sciences in order to induce female students to consider physical science degrees.