Biomolecular Materials: Structure, Phase Behavior, & Interactions

该项目预计将阐明控制来自细胞骨架的蛋白质之间相互作用的关键参数，这些相互作用导致纳米到微米级的分级超分子结构。用定制合成的具有特定化学结构的大分子反离子进行实验，将区分电荷和反离子大小在控制分子间相互作用中的不同作用。基于多肽的反离子将被用来阐明反离子的形状对自组装对称性的作用。从更广泛的角度来看，这项研究将带来一项相当令人兴奋和艰巨的任务，即解开细胞细胞骨架的生物物理学。阐明丝状蛋白质组装的基本规律，有可能开发出21世纪的新型微型化材料。该多学科项目将研究和教育相结合，以培训学生和博士后研究人员使用现代方法来解决物理、生物、化学和工程学之间的重要问题，并可能在生物技术和纳米技术中应用。该项目的重点是发现控制蛋白质之间相互作用和作用力的关键参数，蛋白质之间的相互作用和力被用作细胞骨架的构建块。在很大程度上，大自然使用静电力来组装其不同形状和大小的积木，以实现特定的功能。学习到的概念应该会导致开发先进的纳米级材料的令人兴奋的可能性，用于电子、化学和制药行业的纳米科学应用。该多学科项目将研究和教育相结合，以培训学生和博士后研究人员使用现代方法来解决在生物技术和纳米技术中潜在应用的物理、生物、化学和工程学之间的重要问题。所获得的跨学科技能，包括国家设施的同步加速器X射线衍射和最先进的光学和电子显微镜方法，为学员在学术界、国家实验室和工业领域的职业生涯做好准备。

The project is expected to elucidate the key parameters that control the interactions between proteins derived from the cell cytoskeleton, which lead to hierarchical supramolecular structures on the nanometer to micron scale. Experiments with custom synthesized macromolecular counter-ions with defined chemical structure, will distinguish between the differing roles of charge and size of the counter-ion in controlling intermolecular interactions. Peptide-based counter-ions will be used to clarify the role of the shape of the counter-ion on the symmetry of the self-assembly. From a broader perspective, the research will lead to the rather exciting and formidable task of unraveling the biophysics of the cell cytoskeleton. The elucidation of the basic rules of assembly of filamentous proteins has potential for developing novel miniaturized materials for the 21st century. The multidisciplinary project integrates research and education in order to train students and postdoctoral researchers in modern methods required to address important problems at the interface between physics, biology, chemistry, and engineering with potential applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology.%%%%%The project centers on discovering the key parameters that control the interactions and forces between proteins, which are used as the building blocks of the skeleton of cells. To a large extent Nature uses electrostatic forces to assemble its building blocks in distinct shapes and sizes for specific functions. The learned concepts should lead to the exciting possibility of developing advanced nanometer scale materials for nanoscience applications in the electronic, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. The multidisciplinary project integrates research and education in order to train students and postdoctoral researchers in modern methods required to address important problems at the interface between physics, biology, chemistry, and engineering with potential applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology. The acquired interdisciplinary skills, which include synchrotron x-ray diffraction at National Facilities and state-of-the-art optical and electron microscopy methods, prepare the trainees for careers in academe, national laboratories, and industry.