Objective
The aim of the present project is the systematic development of peptide-based low molecular mass functional model complexes of metalloenzymes, possessing either hydrolytic or redox activity.
Such compounds, being smaller, more robust and better available than the enzymes themselves, are useful to accelerate chemical reactions under mild conditions and are of great interest for biotechnological, medicinal and industrial applications, both from economical and environmental point of view.
Within the scope of both sub-projects (functional model complexes of hydrolytic and redox enzymes) the synthesis of two types of ligands is envisaged:
- histidine-rich linear peptides, or
- tripode-like branched peptides assembling three histidine residues.
These structures are expected to imitate protein folding, which would allow multiimidazole binding in the physiological pH-range (i.e. the retardation of amide co-ordination). In case of promising candidates, the synthesis of PNA-peptide hybrids will be undertaken to induce strong and site selective DNA/RNA binding.
After completing the equilibrium and solution structural (UV-VIS, CD, EPR, NMR) studies of the Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-ligand systems, sufficient information are in hand to plan the optimal conditions (pH, concentrations, metal-to-ligand ratios, etc.) for the kinetic measurements, targeting both the hydrolysis of DNA/RNA models (Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes) and the oxidation of various aromatic compounds (Cu(II) complexes). The present proposal aims to reintegrate a talented young scientist in his country of origin.
The financial aid of the Marie Curie European Reintegration Grant, especially the purchase of an HPLC instrument, will fundamentally facilitate the build up of the candidate's own small group comprising o f postgraduate students. The scientific network, established during the current mobility grant of the applicant, would further improve the trans-national collaborations of the host institute.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsprotein folding
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryaromatic compounds
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-11
See other projects for this call