Photosystem I: Biogenesis, Broken Symmetry, and Hydrogenase Chimeras

该项目代表了合作pi Donald a . Bryant和John H. Golbeck实验室之间高度整合的综合研究和培训计划。该研究项目包括转座子诱变和蛋白质组学方法的应用，以确定控制膜蛋白生物组装的生化因素，应用磁共振波谱来探测膜蛋白生物组装过程中遇到的构象动力学。应用定向诱变和光谱技术发现影响有机电子转移辅助因子氧化还原电位的因素，以及构建光系统i -氢化酶嵌合体。这些目标是可以实现的，因为光系统I的研究已经达到了一个复杂的水平，可以解决对生物化学具有全球重要性的问题。最近完成的泛盐单细胞蓝细菌聚藻球菌（Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002）基因组序列将极大地促进本项目的研究。该基因组序列的可用性，以及几乎完整的转座子突变文库，将用于寻找光系统i生物发生的相关因素。该项目将为培养微生物生理学、分子生物学、基因组学、生物化学和生物物理学等学科的本科生、研究生和博士后提供独特的机会，从而产生重大而广泛的影响。这项研究还将为PI的学生和博士后科学家与在各自领域公认的专家的外国科学家之间的合作研究提供极好的机会。PI和联合PI将继续努力，让主要来自本科院校的教师和本科生参与他们的研究。

This project represents a highly integrated, comprehensive research and training program between the laboratories of Co-PIs Donald A. Bryant and John H. Golbeck. This research program includes the application of transposon mutagenesis and proteomic methods to the identification of biochemical factors that govern the bioassembly of membrane proteins, the application of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to probe the conformational dynamics encountered during the bioassembly of membrane proteins, the application of directed mutagenesis and spectroscopic techniques to discover factors that contribute to the redox potentials of organic electron transfer cofactors, and the construction of Photosystem I-hydrogenase chimeras. These aims are within reach because research in Photosystem I has achieved a level of sophistication that allows problems of global importance to biochemistry to be addressed. The studies in this project will be greatly facilitated by the recently completed genome sequence of the euryhaline, unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. The availability of this genome sequence, as well as a nearly complete transposon mutation library, will be exploited in searching for factors involved in the biogenesis of Photosystem I. This project will have a significant and broad impact by providing unique opportunities to train undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in disciplines ranging from microbial physiology, molecular biology, genomics, biochemistry, to biophysics. This research will also present excellent opportunities for collaborative research between the PI's students and postdoctoral scientists with foreign scientists who are acknowledged experts in their fields. The PI and the co-PI will continue their efforts to involve faculty and undergraduates from predominantly undergraduate institutions in their research.