LEAPS-MPS: Structural and Functional Characterization of Tick Vaccine Antigen Homologs

LEAPS-MPS：蜱疫苗抗原同系物的结构和功能表征

• 批准号: 2137713
• 负责人: Erica Jacobs
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: Saint John's University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2137713&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: LEAPS; MPS; Structural; Functional; Characterization

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). In this project, funded by the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and housed in the Chemistry Division, Professor Erica Jacobs and her students at Saint John’s University will study the relationship between the structure of a chemical (Bm86, a recombinant protein) found in a bovine anti-tick vaccine and its function. These studies are expected to provide insight into how Bm86 provides immunity from ticks. Prof. Jacobs’s broadening participation plan includes paying undergraduate and MS students (at Saint John’s University, a minority serving institution) to support their research experiences in place of external jobs, and development of course-based undergraduate research (CURE) experiences that will introduce a much broader audience to research experiences than would otherwise be possible. She will also increase her ongoing efforts to incorporate antiracist pedagogy into Chemistry courses.Professor Jacobs proposes to examine structural parameters of the recombinant protein Bm86, which is an anti-tick vaccine antigen, and its homologs, with the hypothesis that particular structural features of Bm86 and its homologs in the tick Ixodes scapularis underlie the effectiveness of immune responses directed against them. She will also examine functional parameters of Bm86 homologs by defining their protein interactomes in tick cell homogenates and bovine blood via an affinity purification approach, with the hypothesis that Bm86 homologs bind to cellular or extracellular matrix receptors in the tick gut, leading to cell signaling and/or adhesion events. It is further hypothesized that these proteins, which are expressed in the lumen of the tick gut, may have additional binding partners in bovine blood, identification of which may lead to insight as to function of these proteins. Proposed work is highly collaborative and will provide research experiences to undergraduate and MS students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该奖项是根据2021年《美国救援计划法》（公法117-2）全部或部分资助的。在这个项目中，由数学和物理科学局资助并在化学部门内置，埃里卡·雅各布斯（Erica Jacobs）及其学生在圣约翰大学（Saint John's University）教授将研究在牛反疫苗及其功能中发现的化学物质（BM86，重组蛋白）之间的关系。预计这些研究将提供有关BM86如何提供免于tick的免疫力的见解。雅各布斯教授的扩大参与计划包括支付本科生和MS学生（在圣约翰大学，少数派服务机构），以支持他们的研究经验，以代替外部工作，并发展基于课程的本科研究（CURE）经验，这些经验将为研究经历带来更广泛的受众群体。 She will also increase her ongoing efforts to incorporate antiracist pedagogy into Chemistry courses.Professor Jacobs proposals to examine structural parameters of the recombinant protein Bm86, which is an anti-tick vaccine antigen, and its homologs, with the hypothesis that particular structural features of Bm86 and its homologs in the tick Ixodes scapularis underlie the effectiveness of immune responses针对他们。她还将通过亲和力纯化方法定义BM86同源物的功能参数，并通过假设BM86同源物与细胞或外细胞外基质受体结合，从而导致细胞信号传导和/或胶粘性事件。进一步假设，这些蛋白质在壁虱肠道的腔中表达，可能在牛血中具有其他结合伴侣，其鉴定可能会导致对这些蛋白质功能的见解。拟议的工作是高度协作的，将为科学领域的本科生和MS学生提供研究经验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估标准来通过评估来获得的支持。