Overview
Iron is the second most abundant metal on the earth's surface, falling closely behind aluminum and in near equivalent concentration to calcium and sodium, and is an essential element for virtually every living cell. The biochemistry of iron is based on its coordination chemistry, which controls iron's biological activity in small molecule storage (e.g.O2), electron transport, and catalysis. We are applying modern physical chemistry techniques to the study of natural and synthetic Fe containing molecules in order to understand the processes involved in the transport, storage and activity of iron in various biological systems.
Siderophore Mediated Iron Bioavailability
Objective: To investigate molecular mechanisms for siderophore mediated Fe acquisition, transport, and storage by microbes. Our approach includes spectroscopic, kinetic and thermodynamic studies of Fe-siderophore and model siderophore complexes, molecular recognition, and membrane transport.
Mammalian Iron Transport (Transferrin)
Objective: To investigate the mechanisms of Fe binding and release from the C and N terminal lobes of transferrin and the transferrin/transferrin receptor complex. Our approach is to use spectroelectrochemical methods to test the hypothesis that Fe3+/Fe2+ reduction is a critical step in the release of Fe from human-transferrin in the endosome.
Bacterial Iron Transport (FBP)
Objective: To investigate the mechanism of ferric binding protein mediated transport of Fe across the periplasmic space of Gram negative pathogens. Our approach is to characterize the coordination chemistry of ferric binding protein, a bacterial transferrin, using spectroscopic, kinetic and thermodynamic techniques.
Hemoglobins
Objective: To investigate the redox chemistry of wild type and mutant hemoglobins and myoglobins in relation to O2 and NO transport and storage functions, and allosteric control.
Iron and Human Health
Objective: To explore the molecular processes which may play a role in the relationship between iron and human health and disease, such as iron overload, iron and nutrition, and iron poisioning.
Molecular Recognition
Objective: To investigate the host-guest chemistry of the second coordination sphere of Fe-siderophores and related complexes as it relates to molecular recognition. Our approach includes characterization of new supramolecular assemblies and bulk liquid membrane transport studies.
