CRC: Towards synthetic biology: the replication of synthetic polymers

David Lynn， Stefan Lutz和Ichiro Matsumura（埃默里大学）以及Nicholas Hud（佐治亚理工学院）由化学部门共同支持开发自我复制的聚合物系统。这个跨学科团队将追求合理和基于多样性的方法来开发大分子催化剂，用于特定序列和链长的手性聚合物的合成。这些系统的灵感来自于DNA和RNA生物聚合物在自组装和自复制方面的效率。通过合成化学、聚合物化学和定向分子进化的合并，将制备序列特异性聚酯、多胺/酰胺和多膦酸盐。这一策略模仿了大自然对这种聚合物最有效和最广泛的途径的方法。这些强大的反应可以用来选择和发展合成聚合物，以制备新的功能材料。分子生物学的进步、高通量筛选和复杂的选择协议使“合成生物学”或生物启发战略的实施成为可能，用于生产新的化学品和材料。该项目由化学合作研究计划（CRC）资助，为本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员提供了在非常广泛的研究领域获得知识和技能的绝佳机会，包括合成有机化学、物理有机化学、生物物理学和结构生物学。

David Lynn, Stefan Lutz and Ichiro Matsumura (Emory University) and Nicholas Hud (Georgia Tech) are jointly supported by the Division of Chemistry to develop self-replicating polymer systems. This interdisciplinary team will pursue both rational and diversity-based approaches to the development ofmacromolecular catalysts for the sequence- and chain length-specific synthesis of chiral polymers. These systems are inspired by the efficiency of DNA and RNA biopolymers in self-assembly and self-replication.Sequence-specific polyesters, polyamines/amides and polyphosphonates will be prepared through the merger of synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry and directed molecular evolution. This strategy mimics Nature's approach towards the most efficient and most broadly-based routes to such polymers. These robust reactions can be used to select and evolve a synthetic polymer to prepare new functional materials. The implementation of "synthetic biology" or bio-inspired strategies for the production of new chemicals and materials, has been enabled by advances in molecular biology, high throughput screening and sophisticated selection protocols. This project is funded through the Collaborative Research in Chemistry Program (CRC) and provides outstanding opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers to acquire knowledge and skills in very broad areas of research, including synthetic organic chemistry, physical organic chemistry, biophysics and structural biology.