CAREER: Hydration Dynamics and Molecular Recognition

在这个由化学系实验物理化学计划和生物学理事会分子和细胞生物科学系分子生物物理计划资助的奖项中，俄亥俄州州立大学的钟东平教授和他的研究生和本科生研究生正在研究水的水合层对蛋白质的结构，内部运动和功能的动力学作用。 他们通过将飞秒激光光谱技术与现代分子生物学技术相结合来做到这一点。 具体的研究对象包括α-螺旋球状蛋白和β-链球状蛋白。钟教授及其团队的工作最终目标是从化学上了解蛋白质的运动如何受到周围水分子运动的密切影响。 通过这项研究中可用的原子和时间分辨率，Zhong团队希望更好地了解各种蛋白质行为，包括蛋白质识别，折叠，聚集和酶催化。 沿着，钟教授希望在俄亥俄州建立一个强大的、跨学科的物理生物学项目，并培养新一代的研究人员，他们也是强有力的教师。

In this award, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry and the Molecular Biophysics Program of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences in the Biology Directorate, Professor Dongping Zhong of Ohio State University and his graduate and undergraduate research students are investigating the dynamical role of the hydration layer of water on a protein's structure, internal motion and function. They do this by combining femtosecond laser spectroscopic techniques with modern molecular biology techniques. Specific proteins to be studied include an alpha-helical globular protein and a beta-stranded globular protein.The ultimate goal of the work by Professor Zhong and his group is to develop a fundamental chemical understanding of how a protein's motions are intimately influenced by the motions of the surrounding water molecules. With the kind of atomic and temporal resolution that are available in this study, the Zhong group hopes to obtain a better understanding of a variety of protein behaviors including protein recognition, folding, aggregation and enzyme catalysis. Along the way, Prof. Zhong hopes to build a strong, interdisciplinary program in physical biology at Ohio State and to train a new generation of researchers who are also strong teachers.