The effects of chemical structure on hydrolysis/uptake of small peptides in the marine environment

化学结构对海洋环境中小肽水解/吸收的影响

• 批准号: 1129659
• 负责人: Zhanfei Liu
• 金额: $ 33.33万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1129659&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: effects; chemical; structure; hydrolysis; uptake

An understanding of the cycling of carbon and nitrogen in the surface ocean is necessary for many reasons, including understanding the impacts of marine and other environmental changes in a changing climate. Much of the research focus has been on inorganic forms of carbon and nitrogen and, in particular, little is known about the cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds in the surface ocean and their impact. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin will investigate peptides and proteins, one class or organic nitrogen compounds released from marine biota. These compounds can be taken up and incorporated if they have sufficiently small molecular weight and/or recycled back to inorganic nitrogen by bacteria, potentially supporting primary production. Conversion, primarily by extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, produces small peptides or free amino acids that can be assimilated by microbes. The proposed research will investigate the mechanisms of peptide hydrolysis, their importance in the overall breakdown and/or preservation of DON in ocean waters, and the role of chemical structure in influencing the reaction pathways. The study will use novel and innovative techniques which are a substantial advancement over currently used approaches, to examine these processes. These approaches include the use of isotopically labeled compounds as well as specific compounds (peptides and related compounds) manufactured in the laboratory. The study should provide significant advancements in our understanding of DON dynamics in the marine nitrogen cycle. The project will involve students at the graduate, undergraduate and high school level and will have a significant outreach component. Interactions will include summer undergraduate programs, public seminars and related activities and Science and the Sea, a syndicated radio program.

出于多种原因，有必要了解表层海洋中碳和氮的循环，包括了解气候变化中海洋和其他环境变化的影响。大部分的研究重点一直是无机形式的碳和氮，特别是，很少有人知道溶解有机氮（DON）化合物在海洋表面的循环及其影响。德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的研究人员将研究多肽和蛋白质，一类或有机氮化合物从海洋生物群释放。如果这些化合物具有足够小的分子量和/或被细菌再循环回无机氮，则它们可以被吸收和掺入，从而潜在地支持初级生产。主要通过胞外酶水解的转化产生可被微生物同化的小肽或游离氨基酸。拟议的研究将调查肽水解的机制，其在海洋沃茨中的DON的整体分解和/或保存的重要性，以及化学结构在影响反应途径中的作用。这项研究将使用新的和创新的技术，这是一个实质性的进步，目前使用的方法，以检查这些过程。这些方法包括使用同位素标记的化合物以及在实验室中制造的特定化合物（肽和相关化合物）。这项研究将为我们理解海洋氮循环中的DON动态提供重大进展。该项目将涉及研究生、本科生和高中学生，并将有一个重要的外联部分。互动将包括夏季本科课程，公共研讨会和相关活动以及科学与海洋，一个联合广播节目。