The Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Marine Science of the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences will purchase a Jasco Spectropolarimeter with data collection/manipulation system. This instrument will be initially used in five research programs: 1. Role of pigments and protein in thylakoid membrane biogenesis. 2. Analysis of synthetic amyloid peptides. 3. Structural resolution of plant anti-herbivore secondary metabolites. 4. Structural/functional relationships of protein upon gelation. 5. Structure/activity relationship in a bacterial decardoxylase. Undergraduate students participate in the above research programs during the academic year and during summer as part of the REU program. Some of the current projects involving undergraduates are: 1. Analysis of protein synthesis in the brains of salmon during smoltification. 2. Heavy metal toxicity effects on photosynthetic membranes at the level of gene expression. 3. Effect of plant secondary metabolites from forest floor litter on rates of microbial nitrification. 4. Structure a diterpene isolated from Colophospermum mophane. The spectropolarimeter will also be used in laboratory portion of undergraduate courses. This instrument will be a significant addition of the University's instrumentation capabilities. Since this will be the only spectropolarimeter available in the state, it will function as a regional instrument for users at other state campuses as well as at other University sponsored research institutes.
