Presidential Young Investigator Award: Bioorganic Chemistry

Schepartz博士将她的研究集中在三个领域。蛋白质亲和切割将通过合成含有与活性金属离子拴在一起的蛋白质配体的分子来探测。目前的研究涉及合成一种合成肽，旨在亲和切割FK-506受体FKBP。亲和切割试剂也将被开发，以进入RNA：蛋白质相互作用的领域。RNA分子识别的研究将建立在合成连接寡核苷酸探针的基础上，这种探针由两个短的DNA寡核苷酸通过规定长度的链连接而成。这两个寡核苷酸的序列被设计用来补充RNA中独特的和遥远的单链区域。第三，利用过渡金属螯合机制组装二聚体受体，制备自组装分子。耶鲁大学化学系的Alanna Schepartz博士是由合成有机项目支持的总统青年研究员。她将专注于大分子生物有机化学领域的研究。通过有机化学和分子生物学技术的结合，scheppartz博士将研究蛋白质识别的分子基础，RNA的分子识别以及如何打开和关闭受体。

Dr. Schepartz has organized her research to encompass three areas of concentration. Protein affinity cleavage will be probed by the synthesis of molecules containing a protein ligand tethered to a reactive metal ion. Current studies involve the synthesis of a synthetic peptide designed to affinity cleave the FK-506 receptor FKBP. Affinity cleaving reagents will also be developed to give entry into the realm of RNA:protein interactions. Studies on the molecular recognition of RNA will be based upon the synthesis of linked oligonucleotide probes which consist of two short DNA oligos linked by a tether of prescribed length. The sequences of the two oligos are designed to complement unique and remote single stranded regions in the RNA. Third, self-assembling molecules will be prepared utilizing the assembly of dimeric receptors using a mechanism of transition metal chelation. %%% Dr. Alanna Schepartz of the Chemistry Department at Yale University is being supported by the Synthetic Organic Program as a Preseidential Young Investigator. She will focus her research efforts in the area of macromolecular bioorganic chemistry. By combining the techniques of organic chemistry and molecular biology, Dr. Schepartz will study the molecular basis of protein recognition, molecular recognition of RNA and how to turn receptors on and off.