CAREER: Peptide Metabolites and Transformational Synthesis

本研究的重点是利用聚在玻璃颗粒表面的寡肽，通过可被光切割的间隔物进行合成。所得到的聚酰胺将通过在聚合物中引入功能性来修饰，n端修饰与肽的起源有关，并结合具有特殊反应性的氨基酸。利用自由基链转移化学和可溶性过渡金属催化碳杂原子键形成所带来的进一步改变将导致具有潜在有趣生物学特性的化合物。将化合物释放到水介质中可以用光来完成。新的研究生课程将提供有机化学的坚实基础，并涉及跨学科和专业课程的平衡。通过这个职业奖，有机和大分子项目支持德克萨斯大学西南德克萨斯医学中心生物化学系的Patrick G. Harran博士的研究和教育活动。Harran教授将把他的研究重点放在从线性肽阵列开始的复杂的天然产品材料的合成方法的开发上。该项目为药效团的生产提供了一种新的途径。哈兰博士将把他的教育工作重点放在为从事现代生物学和化学交叉工作的学生开发新的研究生课程上。

The focus of this research is on the synthetic use of oligopeptides assembled on the surface of glass particles through a spacer that can be cleaved by light. The resulting polyamides will be modified by the introduction of functionality into the polymer, N-terminus modification with a group that projects back towards the origin of the peptide and incorporation of amino acids predisposed towards specialized reactivity.Further alterations brought about by the use of radical chain transfer chemistry and soluble transition-metal catalyzed carbon-heteroatom bond formation will lead to compounds with potentially interesting biological properties. Release of the compounds into aqueous medium can be accomplished with light. A new graduate curriculum providing a strong foundation of organic chemistry and involving a balance of interdisciplinary and specialized courses will be developed. With this CAREER award, the Organic and Macromolecular Program is supporting the research and educational activities of Dr. Patrick G. Harran of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Texas Southwest Texas Medical Center. Professor Harran will focus his research on the development of methods for the synthesis of complex, natural product-like materials beginning with arrays of linear peptides. The project affords a novel approach for the production of pharmacophores. Dr. Harran will focus his educational efforts on developing a new graduate curriculum for students working at the interface of modern biology and chemistry.