Physical and Chemical Directors of Molecular Asymmetry in Lipid Bilayers

化学系的分析和表面化学(ASC)计划将支持犹他大学约翰·康博伊教授的研究计划。康博伊教授和他的学生将在简单的模型膜系统中研究磷脂不对称的起源。脂膜中的成分不对称被认为在膜结构稳定性、细胞间信号传递和膜相关成分的组织中起着至关重要的作用。康博伊教授和他的学生将使用和频振动光谱(SFVS)直接测量磷脂在各种膜模型中的跨双层运动和不对称性，以确定天然磷脂的交换率。SFVS还将用于测量膜的不对称性、跨膜迁移的动力学，以及迁移过渡态障碍的热力学分析。拟议研究的成功将在分子和细胞生物学方面产生广泛的影响。这项研究将在一个高度多学科的研究领域为研究生和博士后实习生提供极好的教育培训机会，该领域涉及复杂生物系统中最先进的非线性光谱方法的开发和应用。

The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research program of Prof. John Conboy of the University of Utah. Prof. Conboy and his students will study the origin of phospholipid asymmetry in simple model membrane systems. Compositional asymmetry in the lipid membrane is thought to play a crucial role in membrane structural stability, intercellular signaling, and the organization of membrane-associated components. Prof. Conboy and his students will use sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS) to directly measure the trans bilayer movement of phospholipids and asymmetry in a variety of membrane models to determine the rate of exchange of native phospholipids. SFVS will also be used to measure membrane asymmetry, kinetics of transmembrane migration, and thermodynamic analysis of the transition state barrier to migration. Success of the proposed studies will have wide-reaching implications in molecular and cellular biology. The study will provide excellent educational training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees in a highly multidisciplinary research area involving the development and application of state of the art no-linear spectroscopic methods in complex biological systems.