CAREER: Expanding the Toolbox of Encodable Fluorescent Probes to Image Macrophage Redox Dynamics

获得化学部生命过程化学项目的这一奖项后，加州大学河滨分校的艾慧旺博士和他的研究团队正在开发检测活细胞中硫化氢和其他氧化还原活性分子的新方法。具有非天然生色团结构的非天然拓扑中的荧光蛋白将被开发为新型的氧化还原探针。这些选择性荧光探针将被用来揭示巨噬细胞免疫细胞的氧化还原反应和调节机制。该项目将导致在亚细胞位置和靠近感兴趣蛋白质的空间探测氧化还原活性小信号分子的一般策略。科学界普遍认为，细胞使用氧化还原活性分子来产生和传递信号。对这些过程的错误调控与大量疾病有关。艾博士和他的同事已经发现了选择性观察活细胞中氧化还原活性分子的方法。这个项目将是更全面地理解氧化还原信号和调控的必要一步。该项目还将培训研究生和本科生在化学-生物接口方面的专业知识。来自当地STEM学校的初中生和高中生将获得研究体验的支持。将开展课程改进和外联活动，以进一步扩大该项目的影响。

With this award from the Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Chemistry Division, Dr. Huiwang Ai and his research team at the University of California, Riverside are developing new methods for the detection of hydrogen sulfide and other redox-active molecules in living cells. Fluorescent proteins in nonnative topologies with nonnatural chromophore structures will be exploited as novel redox probes. These selective fluorescent probes will be utilized to uncover the mechanisms of redox response and regulation in macrophage immune cells. The project will result in a general strategy for probing redox-active small signaling molecules in subcellular locations and in space close to proteins of interest. It is widely accepted by the scientific community that cells use redox-active molecules to generate and relay signals. The misregulation of these processes is linked to a large number of diseases. Dr. Ai and his coworkers have discovered the means to selectively observe redox-active molecules in live cells. This project will be a necessary step toward a more comprehensive understanding of redox signaling and regulation. The project will also train graduate and undergraduate students for specialized expertise at the chemistry-biology interface. Middle and high school students from the local STEM school will be supported for research experiences. Curriculum enhancements and outreach activities will be carried out to further broaden the impacts of this project.