Mechanisms in bioorganic and biological chemistry

现代有机化学的原理和方法将用于阐明生物化学过程，并使用这些过程的类似物来实现有机化学转化。通过使用有机化学，我们设计了新的分子来测试特定的概念，并提供了回答关键问题的新材料。该项目有三个主要领域：(1)催化二氧化碳的生化生成和利用；(2)开发非天然氨基酰基t-RNA的有效途径；(3)水中碳水化合物的修饰。在区域1，我们发现二氧化碳的释放取决于它从形成地点逃逸的速度，而不是化学键断裂形成二氧化碳的速度。这与以前的既定观念背道而驰。这将改变人们对二氧化碳生物生成的评价。我们已经开发了一种新的方法，在方法的基础上定量地做到这一点。在区域2，我们发现了金属和前体的组合，它们被定向到复杂RNA分子中的一个关键位点，在这个位点上，大自然激活氨基酸，将其整合到蛋白质中。通过这种方式修饰RNA，我们可以构建具有新成分的蛋白质。我们正在改进基本技术，发展合并的方法。在区域3中，我们学习了如何修改水中的糖，而不是有机溶剂。我们发现，特定的反应部位是由不寻常的因素控制的，这使我们能够创造新的碳水化合物衍生物，而无需求助于对环境有害的溶剂。

Principles and methods of modern organic chemistry will be used to elucidate biochemical processes and to use analogues of such processes to achieve organic chemical transformations. By using organic chemistry, we design new molecules that test specific concepts and provide new materials that answer critical questions. The project has three main areas: (1) catalysis in the biochemical generation and utilization of carbon dioxide (2) development of efficient routes to unnatural aminoacyl t-RNA (3) modification of carbohydrates in water. In area 1, we have found that the release of carbon dioxide can depend on how fast it escapes from its site of formation, rather than how fast bonds break to form it. This goes against the previously established ideas. This will change how people evaluate the biological generation of carbon dioxide. We have developed a new method to do this quantitatively based on methods. In area 2, we have found the combination of metal and precursor that are driected to a single critical site in the complex RNA molecule, the site where nature activates amino acids for incorporation into proteins. With RNA modified in this way, we can build proteins with new components. We are improving the basic techniques and developing the methods for incorporation. In area 3, we have learned how to modify sugars in water, rather than organic solvents. We find that the specific site of reaction is controlled by unusual factors which permit us to create new carbohydrates derivatives without resort to environmentally harnful solvents.