CAREER: Expanding the Toolbox of Encodable Fluorescent Probes to Image Macrophage Redox Dynamics

凭借化学部生命过程化学项目的这一奖项，Huiwang Ai博士和他在加州大学滨江分校的研究团队正在开发检测活细胞中硫化氢和其他氧化还原活性分子的新方法。具有非天然发色团结构的非天然拓扑结构的荧光蛋白将被开发为新型氧化还原探针。这些选择性的荧光探针将用于揭示巨噬细胞免疫细胞的氧化还原反应和调节机制。该项目将导致在亚细胞位置和接近感兴趣的蛋白质的空间中探测氧化还原活性小信号分子的一般策略。科学界广泛接受的是，细胞使用氧化还原活性分子来产生和传递信号。这些过程的失调与许多疾病有关。艾博士和他的同事发现了选择性观察活细胞中氧化还原活性分子的方法。这个项目将是一个必要的一步，更全面地了解氧化还原信号和调节。该项目还将培训研究生和本科生掌握化学-生物学界面的专业知识。来自当地STEM学校的中学生将获得研究经验的支持。为了进一步扩大这一项目的影响，将加强课程设置和开展外联活动。

With this award from the Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Chemistry Division, Dr. Huiwang Ai and his research team at the University of California, Riverside are developing new methods for the detection of hydrogen sulfide and other redox-active molecules in living cells. Fluorescent proteins in nonnative topologies with nonnatural chromophore structures will be exploited as novel redox probes. These selective fluorescent probes will be utilized to uncover the mechanisms of redox response and regulation in macrophage immune cells. The project will result in a general strategy for probing redox-active small signaling molecules in subcellular locations and in space close to proteins of interest. It is widely accepted by the scientific community that cells use redox-active molecules to generate and relay signals. The misregulation of these processes is linked to a large number of diseases. Dr. Ai and his coworkers have discovered the means to selectively observe redox-active molecules in live cells. This project will be a necessary step toward a more comprehensive understanding of redox signaling and regulation. The project will also train graduate and undergraduate students for specialized expertise at the chemistry-biology interface. Middle and high school students from the local STEM school will be supported for research experiences. Curriculum enhancements and outreach activities will be carried out to further broaden the impacts of this project.