Molecular-scale Interactions at the Peptide-mineral Interface

吉尔伯特/威斯康星州-麦迪逊生物矿化是由活的有机体生产矿物。 天然生物矿物的结构和形成在分子尺度上由蛋白质控制，但关键的有机-无机相互作用的大多数方面仍不清楚。 在化学系分析和表面化学项目和材料研究系生物材料项目的支持下，威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校物理系的Gelsomina "Pupa" De Stasio吉尔伯特和她的小组正在采用和开发光谱方法来研究肽或蛋白质之间界面的分子尺度相互作用，和矿物或其前体纳米颗粒。 这将揭示矿物结构和蛋白质构象如何相互影响，以及它们在生物矿化过程中如何共同进化。 特别是，他们专注于肽与磷酸钙和碳酸钙之间的相互作用，这与骨骼，牙齿和贝壳形成的早期步骤有关。研究生和本科生都参与了拟议的实验，并协助为大学和高中学生准备生物矿化教学材料。 这些材料将整合学生自己获得的研究成果，从而将研究，教学和学习融为一体。 学生们还将发明和准备示范站和动手经验生物矿化为更广泛的社区在UW同步辐射中心年度开放日，每年一次，接待来自公众的200多人，并为“生命显微镜”课程，其中PI教每年春天（40名研究生和本科生来自8个部门）。 生物矿化的研究是一个多学科的领域，包括化学，物理，生物学和材料科学。 因此，拟议实验的影响将远远超出化学和物理学的界限。

ABSTRACT CHE-0613972De Stasio Gilbert/Wisconsin - MadisonBiomineralization is the production of minerals by living organisms. The structure and formation of natural biominerals are controlled at the molecular scale by proteins, but most aspects of key organic-inorganic interactions remain unclear. With support from the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry and the Biomaterials Program in the Division of Material Research, Gelsomina "Pupa" De Stasio Gilbert and her group in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Physics are employing and developing spectroscopic methods to study molecular-scale interactions at the interfaces between peptides or proteins on one hand, and minerals or their precursor nanoparticles on the other. This will reveal how mineral structure and protein conformation influence one another, and how they evolve together during biomineralization. In particular, they focus on the interactions between peptides and calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate, which are relevant to the early steps in bone, teeth and shell formation.Both graduate and undergraduate students are involved in the proposed experiments, and are assisting with preparation of biomineralization instructional materials for college and high school students. These materials will integrate the research results acquired by the students themselves, thereby integrating research, teaching and learning. Students will also invent and prepare demonstration stands and hands-on experiences on biomineralization for the broader community at the UW Synchrotron Radiation Center annual Open House, which hosts more than 200 people from the general public once a year, and for the "Microscopy of Life" course, which the PI teaches every spring (40 graduate and undergraduate students from 8 departments). Research in biomineralization is a multidisciplinary field, including chemistry, physics, biology, and materials science. The impact of the proposed experiments, therefore, will reach far beyond the boundaries of chemistry and physics.