CRC: Collaborative Research: Chemistry of Microbially-Produced Biosurfactants

Janne Pemberton、Raina Maier、Robin Polt、Maria-Teresa Velez、Robert Bates(亚利桑那大学)和Jani Ingram(北亚利桑那大学)共同研究生物表面活性剂的基本表面和界面化学，特别是鼠李糖脂、铁脂、表面蛋白和苦参脂类。还将研究微生物产生的生物表面活性剂的合成类似物。该项目将包括化学合成、表面和界面分析、理论和建模以及微生物学成分，以研究生物合成途径和分子环境，这些途径和分子环境影响哪些生物表面活性剂在什么条件下生成。众所周知，生物表面活性剂在低浓度的溶液中聚集，在液体和固体表面都显示出强大的表面活性。每一种生物表面活性剂可能具有显著不同的性质，因为它们的相互作用是由范德华力、偶极-偶极相互作用和溶剂化效应相互作用驱动的。生物表面活性剂将利用光散射、振动光谱、核磁共振光谱、质谱学和表面张力测量来表征溶液中的生物表面活性剂，而界面和表面上的生物表面活性剂组装体将使用振动光谱和原子力显微镜相结合来表征。该项目由化学合作研究计划(CRC)和数学和物理科学局多学科活动办公室资助。生物表面活性剂在工业、医疗、医药和环境等领域具有潜在的应用前景。这一跨学科研究项目将作为一个平台，促进招收和参与代表不足的学生，特别是拉美裔和美洲原住民，从事化学和环境科学领域的科学事业。该奖项为两所院校的K-12教师和学生以及本科生和研究生提供合作培训和研究机会。

Jeanne Pemberton, Raina Maier, Robin Polt, Maria-Teresa Velez, Robert Bates (University of Arizona) and Jani Ingram (Northern Arizona University) are jointly supported to study the fundamental surface and interfacial chemistry of biosurfactants, particularly the rhamnolipids, siderolipids, surfactins and sophorolipids. Synthetic analogues to the microbially-produced biosurfactants will also be studied. The project will incorporate chemical synthesis, surface and interface analysis, theory and modeling, as well as a microbiology component to study the biosynthetic pathways and molecular environments that influence which biosurfactants are made under what conditions. Biosurfactants are known to aggregate in solution at low concentrations and exhibit powerful surfactant activity at both liquid and solid surfaces. Each individual biosurfactant can have remarkably different properties, because their interactions are driven by the interplay of van der Waals forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and solvation effects. Biosurfactants will be characterized in solution using light scattering, the vibrational spectroscopies, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and surface tension measurements, while biosurfactant assemblies at interfaces and on surfaces will be characterized using a combination of the vibrational spectroscopies and atomic force microscopy.This project is funded through the Collaborative Research in Chemistry Program (CRC) and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Biosurfactants have potential applications in industrial, medical, pharmaceutical and environmental applications. This interdisciplinary research project will be used as a platform to improve the recruitment and participation of underrepresented students, especially Hispanics and Native Americans, in scientific careers in chemistry and environmental science. This award provides collaborative training and research opportunities for K-12 teachers and students, and undergraduate and graduate students at both institutions.