A Biosynthetic Approach toward Biomimetic Studies of Metalloproteins Involved in Long-range Electron Transfer

生命过程化学(CLP)项目的这一奖项支持伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的Yi Lu教授对参与远程电子转移的金属蛋白进行基础研究的工作。长程电子转移是化学和生物学中的一个基本过程，包括呼吸作用、光合作用和几乎所有其他化学和生物功能；金属蛋白在这些过程中发挥着关键作用。利用新的生物合成方法，该项目前所未有地详细地阐明了负责形成电子转移蓝色和紫色CUA中心的残基的作用，以及它们周围环境对微调功能性质的作用。结果促进了我们对电子转移中心的合成、配位和电子性质的理解。从这项研究中获得的见解将有助于设计具有可调氧化还原电位和ET性质的新型水溶性和稳定的氧化还原剂，用于更高效的太阳能转换和燃料电池发电。该提案的更广泛影响包括培养生物无机化学领域的本科生和研究生。

This award in the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program supports work by Professor Yi Lu at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to carry out fundamental studies on metalloproteins involved in long-range electron transfers. The long-range electron transfer is a fundamental process in chemistry and biology allowing for respiration, photosynthesis and nearly every other chemical and biological functions; metalloproteins play critical roles in these processes. Using novel biosynthetic approaches, the project elucidates in unprecedented detail the roles of residues responsible for the formation of the electron transfer blue and purple CuA centers, as well as their surrounding environments for fine-tuning the functional properties.The results advance our understanding of synthesis, coordination and electronic properties of electron transfer centers. The insights gained from this study will allow the design of novel water-soluble and -stable redox agents with tunable redox potentials and ET properties for applications such as more efficient solar energy conversion and fuel cell generation. The broader impacts of the proposal include the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the field of bioinorganic chemistry.