Exploitation of unusual patterns of reactivity of peptides towards radicals

生命依赖于多肽和蛋白质的自由基反应，但为了这些化合物的存在，这些化合物必须天生对自由基具有抵抗力。本项目旨在将最先进的实验和理论计算相结合，建立多肽和蛋白质自由基反应的详细图像，以解释这一悖论，并解决关于多肽发生和修复自由基损伤的过程的歧义。该项目还旨在批判性地评估蛋白质生物合成过程中氨基酸掺入的保真度的基本概念。该项目的结果可能会支持开发治疗人类疾病的新策略和疗法，以及增加多肽在生物技术中的用途的新材料和合成方法。

Life depends on free radical reactions of peptides and proteins but, for these compounds to exist, these must be inherently resistant to radicals. This project aims to combine state-of-the-art experiment and theoretical computations to build a detailed picture of peptide and protein radical reactivity, in order to explain this paradox and resolve ambiguities regarding processes through which radical damage to peptides occurs and is repaired. The project also aims to critically evaluate the basic concept of the fidelity of amino acid incorporation during protein biosynthesis. The results of this project could underpin the development of new strategies and therapeutics to treat human diseases, and new materials and synthetic methods to increase the utility of peptides in biotechnology.