NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Australia

这一行动资助特拉华大学的克里斯蒂娜·福布斯于2013年夏天在澳大利亚昆士兰州圣卢西亚的昆士兰大学开展了一个数学和物理科学领域的研究项目。该项目的标题是“对环状蛋白质Kalata B1的合成修饰”。主持会议的科学家是大卫·克雷克博士。环肽(环肽)是一种具有连续环状骨架的小蛋白质，形成一种耐热和酶降解的结构。Kalata B1是一种植物来源的环肽，由三个二硫键编织而成，创建了具有抗HIV活性的非常稳定的结构。由于它的短序列，在Kalata B1中几乎没有不改变其核心结构稳定性的功能化位点。该项目通过将非天然氨基酸与生物正交化学“手柄”结合在一起，扩大了Kalata B1的潜在应用范围，为分子支架提供了一个独特的多功能和稳定的平台。这些集成的“手柄”可以进一步改进，用小分子、材料和蛋白质装饰合成的Kalata B1，用于材料科学和小分子图书馆筛选。EAPSI奖学金的广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究体验；对各自地点的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施的介绍；以及对社会、文化和语言的定位。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，该奖学金将建立一个基于生物分子支架用可修饰环肽的设计、合成和应用的国际跨学科合作。这项工作完成后，研究结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，以便其他研究人员可以在新的应用中使用环肽支架。

This action funds Christina Forbes of the University of Delaware to conduct a research project in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences area during the summer of 2013 at the University of Queensland in St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia. The project title is "Synthetic Modifications to the Cyclic Protein Kalata B1." The host scientist is Dr. David Craik.Cyclic peptides (cyclotides) are small proteins with a continuous circular backbone, forming a structure that is resistant to thermal and enzymatic degradation. Kalata B1 is a plant-derived cyclotide woven with three disulfide bonds, creating an exceptionally stable structure with anti-HIV activity. Due to its short sequence, there are few sites for functionalization in Kalata B1 that do not change its core structural stability. This project broadens the potential applications of Kalata B1 by incorporating non-natural amino acids with bioorthogonal chemical "handles," generating a uniquely versatile and stable platform for molecular scaffolding. These integrated "handles" can be further modified to decorate synthetic Kalata B1 with small molecules, materials, and proteins for applications in materials science and small molecule library screening.Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, this fellowship will establish an international, interdisciplinary collaboration based on the design, synthesis, and applications of modifiable cyclotides for biomolecular scaffolding. On completion of this work, the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal so that other researchers may use cyclotide scaffolds in new applications.