Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of complex cellular responses: isotopomer sub-spaces, 'lost' ATP and 'tunable' anisotropy

红细胞(RBC)在体内运输氧气，但它们还有其他作用，这些作用是通过复杂的相互连接的代谢途径来调节的，这些代谢途径产生了包括ATP在内的无数代谢物。一个长期存在的难题是无法解释人类红细胞中~60%的ATP周转。可能消耗这种“丢失的”三磷酸腺苷的过程包括细胞膜的自主运动，称为“闪烁”，以及维持双凹圆盘形状。四极核在手性排列介质中的核磁共振波谱和同位素分析将用于定义新陈代谢和膜过程的动力学，从而帮助确定主要血液疾病的分子基础。

Red blood cells (RBCs) transport oxygen around the body but they have other roles that are mediated by complex interconnecting metabolic pathways that generate myriad metabolites including ATP. A longstanding conundrum is the inability to account for ~60% of ATP turnover in human RBCs. Processes that may consume this 'lost' ATP, include autonomous motion of the cell membrane called 'flickering', and maintenance of the biconcave-disc shape. NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei in chiral aligned media, and isotopomer analysis will be used to define the kinetics of metabolism and membrane processes and thus help define the molecular basis of major blood disorders.