CHEMICAL SENSORS FOR CELLULAR CONDITIONS AND COMPONENTS

描述了一种模块化、变构化学传感器的一般方法。 化学传感器是一种合成的小分子，它能产生可见的 在与特定分析物相互作用时发出信号。在生物化学领域 社区，它们已被用作敏感的、非破坏性的方法 对细胞中特定分析物的数量进行量化。化学传感器 在解开一种细胞功能的过程中发挥了关键作用 金属离子的数量，最明显的是细胞钙。类似的传感器用于 有机分子还没有达到这种成功的程度。具体的 这项研究的目的是开发一种新的化学传感器框架和 随后将其应用于两个具体问题。第一个问题是 水溶液中氨基酸的识别。这是一个重要的 影响广泛的悬而未决的问题。具体地说，令人兴奋 氨基酸将成为目标。这项工作将对 神经化学研究中，目前很难直接 以非破坏性的方式检测神经递质，如谷氨酸。 这些分子的化学传感器将使大量基本的 对神经传递的研究。第二个特定目标是 细胞内氧化还原电势的化学传感器。因为它 最近提出了一些细胞过程是 受细胞氧化还原电势的控制，了解这一电势 是非常重要的。可以快速、轻松地量化的传感器 细胞减少的潜力对于研究 这些过程的机制。

A general approach to modular, allosteric chemosensors is described. Chemosensors are small synthetic molecules which produces a visible signal upon interaction with a specific analyte. In the biochemical community, they have been used as sensitive, non-destructive methods for quantifying the amount of a particular analyte in cells. Chemosensors have played a pivotal role in unraveling the cellular function of a number of metal ions, most notably cell calcium. Similar sensors for organic molecules have not reached this level of success. The specific aims of this research are to develop a novel chemosensor framework and subsequently apply it to two specific problems. The first problem is the recognition of amino acids in aqueous solution. This is an important unsolved problem with broad ramifications. Specifically, excitatory amino acids will be targeted. This work will have direct impact on neurochemical research in that it is currently difficult to directly detect neurotransmitters such as glutamate in a non-destructive manner. Chemosensors for these molecules will enable a great deal of basic research into neurotransmission. The second specific target is a chemosensor for the redox potential present inside of cells. Since it has recently been suggested that a number of cell processes are controlled by the cellular redox potential, knowledge of this potential is of great importance. Sensors which can quickly and easily quantify the cellular reduction potential would be invaluable for work on the mechanisms of these processes.