CAREER: Investigation of biological signaling with complexes that release zinc upon illumination with light

这项生命过程化学（CLP）项目的研究奖支持康涅狄格大学肖恩·伯戴特教授开发的在光照下释放锌的复合物的工作。目前的研究表明，不稳定锌可能在细胞内作为神经递质和信号剂起作用。虽然锌可以通过电刺激或外源性应用从细胞内囊泡中释放出来，但新的笼化金属配合物将通过增强的空间和时间分辨率，更好地控制引入生物标本的锌量。笼状配合物是金属离子螯合剂，当暴露在特定波长的光下时释放分析物。笼子的结构特性将被合理和系统地改变，以调整笼子配合物的特性，以满足所需的生物应用。此外，为康涅狄格州高中学生提供化学研究的暑期研究项目（探索性化学研究经验和培训学院，SECRET）将继续每年提供一次。从代表性不足的群体中招募更多的学生将是一个重点领域。锌信号通路和锌稳态的破坏与许多人类疾病和失调有关。了解锌的潜在信号功能对于制定治疗这些疾病的策略非常重要。开发笼状配合物将为研究这些锌信号通路提供必要的化学工具。

This research award in the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program supports work by Professor Shawn Burdette at the University of Connecticut to develop complexes that release zinc upon exposure to light. Current research suggests that labile zinc may function as a neurotransmitter and signaling agent within cells. While zinc can be released from intracellular vesicles by electrical stimulation or applied exogenously, the new caged metal complexes will allow greater control over the amount of zinc introduced into biological specimens with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution. Caged complexes are metal ion chelators that release analytes when exposed to light of a specific wavelength. The structural properties of cages will be varied rationally and systematically to tune the properties of the caged complexes for the desired biological applications. In addition, a summer research program to provide Connecticut high school students to chemistry research (School of Exploratory Chemistry Research Experience and Training, SECRET) will continue to be offered on a yearly basis. Recruiting more students for SECRET from underrepresented groups will be an area of emphasis. Disruption of zinc signaling pathways and zinc homeostasis are implicated in numerous human diseases and disorders. Understanding the underlying signaling functions of zinc is important for developing strategies to treat these conditions. Developing caged complexes will provide the chemical tools that are necessary for studying these zinc signaling pathways.