Professor A. L. Crumbliss of Duke University will investigate biological iron transport mechanisms. The research plan will employ in vitro methods to probe the mechanism of iron transport mediated by bacterial Fbp and mammalian Tf proteins. Natural processes have evolved to efficiently sequester, transport and store iron, and studies of iron speciation, coordination, and ligand exchange will contribute to unraveling the details of biological iron manipulation. Multiple techniques will be employed to monitor the dynamics of iron transport, and MALDI-TOF SUPREX will be used to determine binding affinities. The working hypothesis that reduction of Fe(III) promotes release of iron from transferrin will be tested.
Natural processes have developed to control the uptake, transport and storage of iron. Iron manipulation is essential in many biological sytems. This project will probe fundamental inorganic chemical reactions that regulate iron mobility in selected proteins and small molecules.
