Dirigent Proteins: Unraveling their Unique Biochemical Mechanism

我们对全球植物多样性的依赖表现在许多方面，无论是作为食品，结构建筑材料和纤维的来源，还是日常使用的中间体，特种和药用化学品。 特别重要的是要了解植物如何产生许多这些有价值的植物天然产物和材料，这些天然产物和材料是通过所谓的自由基化学反应，在其生化转化过程中通过高活性中间体的中介作用产生的。最近发现了这些非凡的生物化学进化的一个关键途径，即发现了Dirigent Proteins（拉丁语，dirigere，引导或排列）。 通过这种方式，植物不仅产生一些自然界最重要的化合物，如用于植物防御的木脂素，而且还产生其他高度重视和广泛使用的人类。 在该项目中，这些显着的蛋白质如何行使和支配控制高活性的自由基化学将被研究。 这需要使用世界上最先进的仪器来探测不同的蛋白质结构和作用机制，包括最先进的核磁共振技术。 通过这种方式，它们的结构确定和这些蛋白质如何进行这些显着的转换的阐明将成为可能。人们普遍认为，分歧蛋白具有独特的生化机制，现在迫切需要全面解开潜在的关键细节。 另一个重点将是利用获得的信息提供一种新的蛋白质来源，从棉籽，通过更好地了解这些在不同蛋白质介导的转化中的显著自由基化学，能够满足850万人每天的食物需求。广泛影响项目活动还通过为感兴趣的学生提供所需的接触，致力于帮助解决社会挑战。（高中生、本科生和研究生、博士后），以激励这一代人（包括各种少数群体）追求科学事业。 因此，该方法包括通过实习提供全面和多样化的研究经验，并使他们接触生命科学的不同机会。 特别是，重点将给予学生接触到科学，无缝连接从植物科学到计算机科学/生物信息学的各个学科已经发生的快速技术发展。 这将包括他们参与鼓舞人心的研究项目和一对一的指导。 将通过向高中、各种公众集会、工业界、科学中心、联邦和州代表团以及通过许多不同类型的国际集会进行介绍/讲习班/讲座的形式，支持在全世界进一步发挥科学的重要作用。

Intellectual MeritOur reliance upon the wonderful diversity of plant life worldwide is manifested in many ways, whether as sources of foodstuffs, structural building materials and fibers, or intermediate, specialty, and medicinal chemicals for everyday use. Of particular importance is to understand how plants produce many of these valuable plant natural products and materials generated via intermediacy of highly reactive intermediates in their biochemical conversions, through so-called free radical chemistries. A key way in which these remarkable biochemistries evolved was recently identified, with the discovery of Dirigent Proteins (Latin, dirigere, to guide or align). In this way, plants produce not only some of nature's most important compounds, such as lignans for plant defense, but also others highly valued and widely used by humanity. In the project, how these remarkable proteins exercise and dictate control over the highly reactive free radical chemistries will be investigated. This requires technologies using the most advanced instrumentation worldwide to probe dirigent protein structures and mechanisms of action, including state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. In this way, both their structure determinations and elucidation of how these proteins carry out these remarkable conversions will be enabled. It is generally accepted that the dirigent proteins have an unique biochemical mechanism, and it is now urgent to comprehensively unravel the underlying key details. Another emphasis will be to use the information gained to provide a new protein source, from cottonseed, able to satisfy food requirements for 8.5 million people daily through better understanding of these remarkable free radical chemistries in dirigent protein mediated conversions.Broad impactProject activities are also deeply committed to helping solve societal challenges by providing the needed exposure of interested students at all stages of their development (high school, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctorals), in order to inspire this upcoming generation (including various minority groups) to pursue a science career. The approach thus includes providing comprehensive and varied research experiences through internships and exposing them to different opportunities in the Life Sciences. In particular, emphasis will be given to exposure of students to the rapid technological developments that have occurred in science, which seamlessly link various disciplines ranging from plant sciences to computer science/bioinformatics. This will include their participation in inspirational research projects and one-on-one mentoring. Support to further the important role of science worldwide will be made in the form of presentations/workshops/lectures to high schools, various public gatherings, industry, science centers, federal and state delegations, as well as through international gatherings of many different types.