NIRT: Biocatalytic Membrane Nanosystems (BMNs)

本提案是对NSF 03-043 NIRT类纳米科学与工程倡议的响应。具有可调表面化学性质的有序纳米多孔材料分子工程的最新进展及其与宏观结构的集成为设计高效的仿生系统提供了新的、前所未有的机会，用于生物催化生产药物和其他精细化学品。这项NIRT研究将设计含有包裹酶的有序纳米多孔二氧化硅层，作为生物催化膜纳米系统(BMN)的一部分。设计高效的BMN的基本科学问题将通过两个描述良好和重要的酶反应来解决：(1)细胞色素P450 BM-3加氧酶对非活性碳的辅因子依赖的选择氧化；(2)洋葱假单胞菌脂肪酶对无手性分子的动力学拆分。在利用纳米多孔二氧化硅进行基础研究的同时，还将进行将各种成分集成到全功能原型BMN中的工作。这项研究将有助于更好地理解仿生系统的纳米结构和催化功能，并从基本科学原理出发设计改进的生物催化剂。这项NIRT研究的更广泛的教育影响旨在培养生物催化应用的分子工程材料领域的本科生和研究生。这在一定程度上将通过宣传辛辛那提大学(UC)的研究生研究机会，从而改善少数族裔和女性工程师接受高等教育的机会。与这些努力相辅相成的是一项关于纳米技术社会影响的新研究工作，该研究工作将汇集加州大学政策研究所，领导加州大学社会科学和自然科学的研究人员和研究生制定一项计划，将纳米技术的社会和技术方面整合在一起。

This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 03-043, category NIRT. Recent advances in molecular engineering of ordered nanoporous materials with tunable surface chemistries and their integration into macroscopic architectures offer new, unprecedented opportunities to design highly efficient biomimetic systems for biocatalytic production of pharmaceuticals and other fine chemicals. This NIRT research will design ordered nanoporous silica layers containing encapsulated enzymes as part of Biocatalytic Membrane Nanosystems (BMNs). The fundamental scientific issues underlying the design of highly efficient BMNs will be addressed for two well-characterized and important enzymatic reactions: (1) cofactor-dependent selective oxidation of non-activated carbons by cytochrome P450 BM-3 oxygenase and (2) kinetic resolution of achiral molecules by Pseudomonas cepacia lipase. The integration of various components into fully functioning prototype BMNs will be conducted in parallel with the fundamental studies employing nanoporous silica. This research will lead to improved understanding of nanoscale structure and catalytic function of biomimetic systems and to the design of improved biocatalysts from basic scientific principles.The broader education impacts of this NIRT research are aimed at training of undergraduate and graduate students in the area of molecularly engineered materials for biocatalytic applications. This will be accomplished in part by the outreach efforts directed towards improving higher education opportunities for minority and women engineers by alerting them to the graduate research opportunities at the University of Cincinnati (UC). These efforts will be complemented by a new research effort on societal impacts of nanotechnology that will bring together the UC Institute for Policy Research, leading UC researchers and graduate students in social and physical sciences to develop a plan for integrating the social and technological aspects of nanotechnology.