Overseas Travel to Caltech - Probing of protein dynamics and electron transfer with transition metal chromophores

海外游加州理工学院 - 探索过渡金属发色团的蛋白质动力学和电子转移

• 批准号: EP/E060544/1
• 负责人: A Vlcek
• 金额: $ 0.8万
• 依托单位: Queen Mary University of London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2007 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FE060544%2F1
• 关键词: Overseas; Travel; Caltech; Probing; protein

A joint research is carried out between the groups at Queen Mary, University of London and California Institute on ultrafast relaxation and electron-transfer (ET) dynamics of metalloproteins. In brief, proteins (azurins) are derivatized by rhenium-containing chromophors which are attached to a histidine group at specific locations of the protein surface. Laser-pulse excitation of the Re chromophore triggers restructuring (relaxation) of the surrounding solvent molecules and the peptide units in the vicinity of the Re binding site. In some proteins, an intramolecular electron transfer is triggered as well. Dynamics of both processes are then studied by combining several state-of-the-art time-resolved laser spectroscopic techniques. This research has far-reaching consequences for our understanding of functioning of redox proteins in biological systems and for possible development of molecular devices based on proteins. In the course of this joint research, picosecond time-resolved infrared and fluorescence spectra of derivatized proteins supplied from Caltech are studied by the London group, while complementary studies in the visible spectral region and determination of protein structures are performed at Caltech. Understanding of these complex phenomena is challenging and requires combining kinetic data from both groups and their close interaction on interpretation and development of mechanistic models. To foster this research and plan future activities, a short visit to Caltech is proposed.

玛丽女王大学、伦敦大学和加州研究所的研究小组对金属蛋白的超快弛豫和电子转移（ET）动力学进行了联合研究。简而言之，蛋白质（天青蛋白）是由含铕的发色团衍生的，所述发色团在蛋白质表面的特定位置连接到组氨酸基团。激光脉冲激发的Re发色团触发周围的溶剂分子和在Re结合位点附近的肽单元的重组（松弛）。在某些蛋白质中，分子内电子转移也被触发。这两个过程的动力学，然后结合几个国家的最先进的时间分辨激光光谱技术进行研究。这项研究对我们理解氧化还原蛋白在生物系统中的功能以及基于蛋白质的分子器件的可能发展具有深远的影响。在这项联合研究的过程中，伦敦小组研究了由加州理工学院提供的衍生蛋白质的皮秒时间分辨红外和荧光光谱，而在加州理工学院进行了可见光谱区的补充研究和蛋白质结构的测定。理解这些复杂的现象是具有挑战性的，需要结合动力学数据，从两个群体和他们的密切互动的解释和发展的机制模型。为了促进这项研究和规划未来的活动，建议对加州理工学院进行短期访问。