Creation of Tools for the Study of Oxidative Damage to Nucleic Acids

有了这个奖项，化学部的生命过程化学项目正在资助阿曼达C博士。托莱多大学的Bryant-Friedrich开发了用于研究氧化过程导致的核酸损伤的化学模型系统。 将利用合成有机化学沿着分析和生物物理技术来合成和评价RNA和DNA衍生物，这些衍生物作为通过核酸损伤过程形成的反应性中间体的前体。 对核酸的损伤，特别是如果不容易修复的话，在生物医学科学和化学生物学中具有广泛的意义，是氧化应激/诱变的标志。 因此，这项工作的目的是开发化学稳定的底物，可用于确定生物相关条件下的损伤途径。 脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）及其近亲核糖核酸（RNA）是关键的生物底物，对于建立遗传特征和合成进行细胞过程所需的蛋白质至关重要。 对这些重要分子的损伤导致细胞受损，并对人类健康产生有害后果。研究DNA和RNA损伤过程的工具的开发将允许这些损伤过程的实验研究，着眼于更好地理解氧化应激的后果和疾病的病因。 这种追求将使来自广泛背景的本科生，研究生和博士后研究员获得生物化学方面的专业培训。妇女和少数民族将积极参与通过这一奖项得以开展的研究和培训。 少数民族科学家的招聘和保留一直是并将继续是该实验室的一个重要重点领域。

With this award, the Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Chemistry Division is funding Dr. Amanda C. Bryant-Friedrich from the University of Toledo to develop chemical models systems for the study of nucleic acid damage resulting from oxidative processes. Synthetic organic chemistry along with analytical and biophysical techniques will be utilized to synthesize and evaluate both RNA and DNA derivatives that serve as precursors of reactive intermediates formed through nucleic acid damage processes. Damage to nucleic acids, particularly if not easily reparable, has broad implications in biomedical science and chemical biology, being a hallmark of oxidative stress/mutagenesis. The aim of this work is therefore to develop chemically stable substrates that can be utilized to determine damage pathways under biologically relevant conditions. Deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) and their close cousins ribonucleic acids (RNA) are key biological substrates vital for the establishment of genetic characteristics and for the synthesis of proteins needed to carry out cellular processes. Damage to these important molecules leads to the compromise of the cell and has detrimental consequences in human health. The development of tools for the study of processes that damage DNA and RNA will allow for the experimental study of these damage processes with an eye toward better understanding the consequences of oxidative stress and the etiology of disease. This pursuit will allow undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from a broad range of backgrounds to acquire specialized training in biological chemistry. Women and minorities will be active participants in the research and training made possible through this award. The recruitment and retention of minority scientists has been and will continue to be a significant area of focus of this laboratory.