CAREER: Fast Spectroscopic Measurements of the Unwinding Kinetics of DNA Molecules following a 10-Nanosecond Temperature-Jump

9722295安萨里博士打算研究DNA螺旋线圈转变途径，并确定和表征沿该途径可能的中间体。她打算通过启动展开转变和监测松弛回到平衡的动力学来做到这一点。有一些证据表明，DNA片段和配体之间的主要相互作用位点之外的侧翼序列可以使DNA双工更不稳定，导致与配体的反应性增加。所描述的实验将最终有助于我们理解DNA的结构、热力学和动力学特性之间的相互作用，以及反应配体和蛋白质的识别机制。教育目标将侧重于将多学科研究纳入本科生和研究生的课程。目标是引入一个生物物理学项目，将物理、化学和生物系现有的课程综合起来，形成一个跨学科的学位。此外，将在本科阶段开设分子生物物理学课程，该课程将侧重于生物分子的物理化学，并向学生介绍当前感兴趣的研究课题。政府将努力向来自芝加哥学校的高中生，特别是那些未被充分代表的少数族裔学生提供暑期实习机会。

9722295 Ansari Dr. Ansari intends to study the DNA helix-coil transition pathway, and identify and characterize possible intermediates along that pathway. She intends to do this by initiating the uncoiling transition and monitoring the kinetics of relaxation back to equilibrium. There is some evidence that suggests that flanking sequences outside a primary interaction site between a section of DNA and a ligand can render the DNA duplex more unstable, resulting in an increased reactivity with the ligand. The experiments described will ultimately contribute to our understanding of the interplay of the structural, thermodynamic, and dynamic characteristics of DNA and the recognition mechanisms of reacting ligands and proteins. The educational goals will focus on integrating multidisciplinary studies into the curriculum of both undergraduate and graduate students. The objectives are to introduce a Biophysics program that will synthesize existing courses offered in Physics, Chemistry and Biology Departments for an interdisciplinary degree. In addition, a Molecular Biophysics course will be offered at the undergraduate level that will focus on the physical chemistry of biomolecules and introduce the students to research topics of current interest. Effort will be made to reach out to high school students from Chicago schools, particularly from underrepresented minorities, for summer internships.