U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research: Dynamical Foundation of Protein Function: Energy Transfer and Storage

0437165莱特纳该奖项支持里诺市内华达州大学的大卫莱特纳教授和日本科比大学的Tamiki Komatsuzaki教授之间为期两年的合作研究项目。 他们将研究蛋白质功能的动力学基础，涉及能量转移和储存。 该提案详细介绍了美国三个研究小组和日本四个研究小组计划的一些相互关联的合作项目，其目标是提供蛋白质中能量传输和储存的分子水平描述。 每个小组目前都参与了蛋白质能量传递的理论和计算研究，以及功能和折叠过程中的蛋白质动力学。 该提案的三个目标将通过计算建模解决以下问题：1）蛋白质中的能量流动，重点是阐明途径和蛋白质结构的作用; 2）水和非水环境对蛋白质中能量流动和储存的影响;以及3）在许多时间尺度上分析蛋白质的非布朗动力学，特别关注引起复杂动力学的势能景观的性质。 该项目汇集了一些具有互补专长和研究能力的实验室的努力。 这两个小组都有理论和计算化学和生物学方面的专业知识。 通过交流思想和技术，该项目将扩大我们的基础知识，促进国际理解与合作。 该项目包括博士后和研究生的参与。 研究结果将在科学会议和科学期刊上传播。

0437165LeitnerThis award supports a two-year collaborative research project between Professor David Leitner of the University of Nevada in Reno and Professor Tamiki Komatsuzaki at Kobe University in Japan. They will be undertaking a study on the dynamical foundation of protein function with reference to energy transfer and storage. The proposal details a number of interconnected collaborative projects planned by three U.S. research groups and four research groups in Japan with the goal of providing a molecular-level description of energy transport and storage in proteins. Each group is presently involved in theoretical and computational studies of energy transport in proteins and protein dynamics during function and folding. The three goals of the proposal will address, through computational modeling, the following: 1) energy flow in proteins, with emphasis on elucidation of pathways and the role of protein structure; 2) the influence of both aqueous and non-aqueous environments on energy flow and storage in proteins; and 3) analysis of non-Brownian dynamics of proteins over many time scales, with particular focus on the properties of the potential energy landscape that give rise to complex dynamics. This project brings together the efforts of a number of laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. Both groups have expertise in theoretical and computational chemistry and biology. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. The project includes the participation of postdocs and graduate students. Results of the research will be disseminated at scientific meetings and in scientific journals.