CAREER: Deep-UV resonance Raman spectroscopy for detection of protein insertion into lipid vesicles and determination of transmembrane content

这项由化学测量和成像(CMI)计划颁发的职业奖项支持密苏里-哥伦比亚大学的Renee Jiji教授创建的创新研究计划，该计划专注于利用深紫外共振拉曼(UVRR)光谱增强跨膜(TM)蛋白质的结构分析。这项研究将建立TM蛋白质独特的UVRR光谱特征，以及在膜嵌入结构元件上的溶剂排斥和振动耦合在TM蛋白质UVRR光谱中发现的独特共振增强中起作用的程度。这些方法将为未来TM蛋白的结构和功能研究奠定基础，并使其UVRR谱的解释变得更加容易。总而言之，这项研究将能够同时解析TM蛋白质的溶剂可及和不可及区域的光谱贡献，以及目前单一技术无法支持的TM蛋白质含量的量化。这项研究的更广泛影响包括扩展计划，为高中生提供熟练使用科学仪器所必需的实践经验，并在高中水平上产生对化学和化学分析的更大兴趣。最初的需求评估将了解高中教师感知到的当前需求，并反复为实践活动的发展提供信息。将设计和实施一个光谱学微型单位，以满足评估的需要。以光谱学为主题的单日教师发展工作坊将增加教师对科学和光谱仪器的熟悉程度，而多个工作坊将扩大高中生对研究仪器的接触，突出化学的应用领域，并为学生提供激发和深入的活动，从而培养他们对化学及其专业应用的更多了解和兴趣。

This CAREER award by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) program supports work by Professor Renee Jiji at the University of Missouri-Columbia to create an innovative research program focused on enhancing structural analysis of transmembrane (TM) proteins using deep-ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy. This research will establish the unique UVRR spectral features of TM proteins and the degree to which solvent exclusion and vibrational coupling over the membrane embedded structural elements play a role in unique resonance enhancement found in the UVRR spectrum of TM proteins. The methods in this proposal will lay the foundation for future structure and functional studies of TM proteins and make the interpretation of the their UVRR spectra more facile. In sum, this research will enable simultaneous resolution of spectral contributions from both solvent accessible and inaccessible regions of TM proteins and the quantification TM protein content, which currently is untenable by a single technique.The broader impacts of this research include outreach programs to provide high school students with the hands-on experience integral to their becoming adept at using scientific instrumentation, and to generate greater interest in chemistry and chemical analysis at the high school level. An initial needs assessment will give an understanding of high school teachers' perceived current needs and iteratively inform the development of hands-on activities. A spectroscopy mini-unit will be designed and implemented to address the assessed needs. Single-day teacher development workshops featuring spectroscopy will increase the teachers' comfort level with scientific and spectroscopic instrumentation while multi-workshops will expand high school students exposures to research instrumentation, highlight applied areas of chemistry, and provide students with stimulating and in depth activities, thereby fostering a greater understanding and interest in chemistry and its professional applications.