U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Changing a Plant Beta-Oxygen-Glucosidase to a Beta-Sulfur-Glucosidase or Vice Versa

9910088Esen这项为期三年的植物生物化学合作研究奖由弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学的Asim Esen和David R.Bevan，以及法国马赛大分子生物学实验室的Bernard Henrissat和Mirjam Chijzek获得。他们将在β-葡萄糖苷酶的晶体结构和结构-功能关系上进行合作，β-葡萄糖苷酶是一种广泛存在的植物酶。研究人员选择了玉米β葡萄糖苷酶和白芥子芥子酶作为模型体系，因为这些酶表现出微妙的底物和键专一性。利用结构域交换、定点突变和X射线结晶学，结合三维结构测定和建模，研究人员建议了解酶的底物和键特异性的机制。该项目利用法国在结晶学方面的专业知识，将促进对β葡萄糖苷酶参与的生化和生理过程的基本理解。由于这些酶存在于许多植物中，因此了解它们的结构和功能对于一般的酶工程以及在生物量转化、植物生产力和防御方面的应用研究具有重要的实际意义。这项奖励将支持这一国际合作的增量成本；即前往法国马赛的旅费以及美国研究人员、博士后研究人员和研究生的生活费。

9910088EsenThis three-year award for U.S.-France cooperative research in plant biochemistry involves Asim Esen and David R. Bevan of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Bernard Henrissat and Mirjam Czjzek of the Macromolecular Biology Laboratory in Marseilles, France. They will collaborate on the crystal structure and the structure-function relationships of beta-glucosidases a widespread plant enzyme. The investigators have chosen maize beta glucosidase and white mustard myrosinase as model systems because these enzymes exhibit subtle substrate and bond specificity. Using domain-swapping, site-directed mutagenesis and x-ray crystallography in combination with 3-D structure determination and modeling, the investigators propose to understand the mechanism of the enzymes' substrate and bond specificity.The project takes advantage of French expertise in crystallography and will advance fundamental understanding of the biochemical and physiological processes in which beta glucosidases are involved. Because these enzymes are found in many plants, basic knowledge about their structure and function may have practical importance to enzyme engineering in general and to applied research on biomass conversion, plant productivity and defense. This award will support the incremental costs of this international collaboration; that is, the travel to Marseilles, France and subsistence expenses of the U.S. investigators, postdoctoral researcher and graduate students.