RUI: Quantifying Fluorescent Probe Dynamics in FRET Experiments by Combining Single-Molecule and Bulk Spectroscopies with Molecular Dynamics and Quantum Mechanics Simulations

RUI：通过将单分子和体光谱与分子动力学和量子力学模拟相结合来量化 FRET 实验中的荧光探针动力学

• 批准号: 1058981
• 负责人: Brent Krueger
• 金额: $ 38.5万
• 依托单位: Hope College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-07-15 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1058981&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Quantifying; Fluorescent; Probe; Dynamics

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Brent Kruger and his group at Hope College seek to improve the understanding and therefore the capabilities of fluorescence-detected resonance energy transfer (FRET), a powerful method for characterizing the structure and dynamics of biologically important molecules like proteins and nucleic acids. As test systems, several biologically important yet relatively simple DNA and RNA sequences based on the hairpin ribozyme will be tagged with a series of fluorescent probes to examine the impact of probe molecule and chemical attachment method on FRET results. Both fluorescence measurements and sophisticated computational modeling will be used to provide detailed understanding of structural dynamics. Because FRET is a widely-used technique in chemistry, biology, and biophysics, the results of this work will positively impact a large community of researchers. The research will provide effective research training experiences for the students involved. Through programs already in place at Hope College, these will include two-year-college and local high school students in addition to Hope College undergraduates. Over the period of the grant, four to five students will be engaged in research each summer including at least one underrepresented minority student. In addition, an outreach program will bring 12 high school teachers to Hope's campus each summer to learn molecular modeling techniques and to develop lessons for their classrooms that meet state and national education standards. Assessment of the students who have benefitted from these lessons over the past two years shows that 40% of students report an increased interest in attending college and 29% report an increased interest in pursuing a STEM career.

在化学系化学测量和成像项目的支持下，霍普学院的布伦特克鲁格教授和他的团队寻求提高对荧光检测共振能量转移（FRET）的理解和能力，FRET是一种表征蛋白质和核酸等生物重要分子的结构和动力学的强大方法。 作为测试系统，几个生物学上重要的，但相对简单的DNA和RNA序列的基础上的发夹核酶将被标记一系列的荧光探针，以检查探针分子和化学连接方法对FRET结果的影响。 荧光测量和复杂的计算建模将用于提供结构动力学的详细了解。 由于FRET是化学，生物学和生物物理学中广泛使用的技术，因此这项工作的结果将对大量研究人员产生积极影响。 本研究将为相关学生提供有效的研究培训经验。 通过已经在希望学院的方案，这些将包括两年制大学和当地高中的学生除了希望学院本科生。 在补助金期间，每年夏天将有四到五名学生参与研究，其中包括至少一名代表性不足的少数民族学生。 此外，每年夏天，一个推广计划将把12名高中教师带到霍普的校园，学习分子建模技术，并为他们的教室开发符合州和国家教育标准的课程。 对过去两年从这些课程中受益的学生的评估显示，40%的学生报告说对上大学的兴趣增加，29%的学生报告说对追求STEM职业的兴趣增加。