Synthesis and Functions of Inositol Phosphates

我的研究计划旨在开发化学生物学工具来研究肌醇磷酸，一个重要的内源性分子家族。肌醇磷酸在细胞中起着许多关键作用，从细胞信号传导和钙动员到转录调节。此外，一些肌醇磷酸也被锚定在脂质双层中，在那里它们募集大量具有重要生物学后果的蛋白质。尽管肌醇磷酸在细胞中起着重要的作用，但仍然缺乏全面的了解。这部分是由于以下事实：根据磷酸化的程度和位置，存在超过60种可能的肌醇磷酸变化。此外，肌醇磷酸与数量惊人的蛋白质相互作用。获得明确定义的肌醇磷酸分子及其类似物对于在分子水平上破译其确切作用和机制至关重要。此外，肌醇磷酸盐与钙和其他生理阳离子的强结合对其功能具有显著影响。调节肌醇磷酸盐离子结合特性的能力将提供重要的化学工具。此外，肌醇磷酸的螯合性能可以被利用，以提供新的生物相容性涂层剂的无机表面，在功能材料中具有潜在的应用。

My research program aims at developing chemical biology tools to study inositol phosphates, an important family of endogenous molecules. Inositol phosphates play numerous crucial roles in the cell, ranging from cellular signalling and calcium mobilization to transcription regulation. Furthermore, some inositol phosphates are also anchored in the lipid bilayer where they recruit a multitude of proteins with important biological consequences. Despite the crucial functions of inositol phosphates in cell, a comprehensive picture is still lacking. This is due in part to the fact that there are over 60 possible inositol phosphate variations depending on the degree and position of phosphorylation. In addition, inositol phosphates interact with a daunting number of proteins. Access to well defined inositol phosphate molecules and their analogues is of key importance to decipher their precise role and mechanism at a molecular level. Moreover, the strong binding of inositol phosphates to calcium and other physiological cations has a dramatic impact on their functions. The ability to modulate the ion binding properties of inositol phosphates will provide important chemical tools. In addition, the chelating properties of inositol phosphates can be exploited to afford new biocompatible coating agents for inorganic surfaces, with potential applications in functional materials.