Funding is requested to make possible the participation of thirteen American scientists in an international workshop on """"""""Comparative Analysis of Catalytic Mechanisms of Zinc Enzymes"""""""", to be held June 17-22, 1985 at San Miniato (Pisa), Italy. The objective of the workshop is to bring together chemists, biophysicists, biochemists and molecular biologists whose research is directed toward the elucidation of structure-function relationships in zinc metalloenzyme catalysis. The workshop will emphasize the discussion of catalytic mechanism for those zinc enzymes for which there is available detailed information about structure and mechanism (e.g., carbonic anhydrase, carboxypeptidase, alcohol dehydrogenase). Attention will also be given to less well characterized zinc enzymes such as RNA polymerase and EcoR1 endonuclease. Assessments of the impact of different experimental methods in solving various aspects of mechanism will be made, and attention will be given to the formulation of new questions for future investigation. Proceedings will be published as brief papers either in book or journal form. The rationale for holding such a workshop at this time stems from recent technological advances both in physical biochemistry and in molecular biology. This workshop will provide a forum for exchanging iformation and ideas among the diverse group of scientists committed to the elucidation of the catalytic mechanisms of zinc metalloenzymes.
