RUI: Dual Routes for Asparaginyl-tRNA Synthesis in Bacteria

智力价值：生命需要蛋白质的生产和使用。蛋白质是氨基酸的聚合物，蛋白质的氨基酸序列被编码在基因中。要将遗传信息翻译成合适的氨基酸序列，需要细胞中存在适配分子，即氨基酰基转移rna。20种氨基酸通常用于蛋白质。20种氨基酸中的每一种都有相应的转运rna （trna）池。一个氨基酸要在翻译中使用，它必须连接到相应的tRNA上。对于氨基酸天冬酰胺，自然界已经进化出两种不同的途径来形成用于蛋白质合成的天冬酰胺trna。在第一种途径中，天冬酰胺直接附着在tRNA上。在第二种途径中，天冬酰胺是在tRNA上合成的。计算分析预测，金黄色葡萄球菌和乳酸菌都在其基因组中编码这两种途径。这些研究将结合生化和分子遗传学技术来验证这两种途径在这两种细菌中都被使用，并确定天冬酰胺- trna形成的双重途径如何整合到这些细菌的生命周期中。该研究将有助于深入了解天冬酰胺- trna合成的进化过程以及金黄色葡萄球菌和乳杆菌的生理学。更广泛的影响：该项目每年夏季和学年将为三名本科生提供参与科学研究的机会，挑战他们将生化数据与生物信息学和分子遗传学相结合。因此，这项工作将为他们在生物分子科学的研究生或专业学校取得成功奠定坚实的基础。首席研究员将与斯基德莫尔的S3M和Schupf项目密切合作，从代表性不足的群体中招募学生。该项目还将允许在斯基德莫尔开设实验生物化学实验课程，使更多的本科生参与研究。为了扩大科学素养，留住更多来自STEM学科中代表性不足群体的女性，首席研究员和斯基德莫尔大学的本科生将与纽约州奥尔巴尼的Brighter Choice女子中学的学生会面，并对他们进行指导。

Intellectual merit: Life requires the production and use of proteins. Proteins are polymers of amino acids, and the amino acid sequence of a protein is encoded in a gene. To translate the genetic message into the proper amino acid sequence requires the presence of adaptor molecules, aminoacyl-transfer RNAs, in a cell. Twenty amino acids are commonly used in proteins. Each of the twenty amino acids has a corresponding pool of transfer RNAs (tRNAs). For an amino acid to be used in translation, it must be attached to its corresponding tRNA. For the amino acid asparagine, nature has evolved two distinct pathways for forming asparaginyl-tRNA used in protein synthesis. In the first pathway, asparagine is directly attached to the tRNA. In the second pathway, asparagine is synthesized on the tRNA itself. Computational analyses predict that Staphylococcus aureus and Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus each encode both pathways in their genomes. These studies will combine biochemical and molecular genetic techniques to verify that both pathways are used in these two bacteria, and to determine how dual routes for asparaginyl-tRNA formation are integrated into the life cycles of these bacteria. The research will provide insight into the evolution of asparaginyl-tRNA synthesis and the physiology of S. aureus and B. bacteriovorus.Broader Impacts: The project will provide three undergraduates each summer and academic year the opportunity to take part in scientific research that challenges them to synthesize biochemical data with bioinformatics and molecular genetics. The work will therefore provide them a strong foundation for success in graduate or professional school in the biomolecular sciences. The principal investigator will work closely with Skidmore's S3M and Schupf programs to recruit students from underrepresented groups. The project will also allow development of an experimental biochemistry laboratory course at Skidmore enabling additional undergraduates to take part in research. To expand scientific literacy and retain more women from underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines, the principal investigator and Skidmore undergraduates will meet with and mentor students from the Brighter Choice All-Girls Middle School in Albany, NY.