This Career Advancement Award for Women from the Organic Dynamics and Special Projects Programs supports the work of Professor Cynthia J. Burrows at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. The work concerns an investigation into the oxidative reactions of simple cobalt compounds using DNA and RNA targets as an extension of the investigator's DNA oxidation studies using nickel(II) complexes. In particular, DNA sequences containing G-G mismatches, G bulges or hairpin loops will be studied in efforts to develop a probe for such structures. Studies on RNA will include examination of transfer RNA's and the group I intron from Tetrahymena. The experimental methods of this work will focus on DNA and RNA purification by high resolution gel electrophoresis. %%% This Career Advancement Award to Professor Burrows will extend her work on nickel complexes and their interactions with DNA to use of cobalt complexes and to RNA structure manipulations and catalysis. The application of these nonporphyrin complexes to both DNA and RNA is sought in DNA with double mismatches, transfer RNA, and group I intron from Tetrahymena. The work is expected to impact on medical, coordination, and biochemistry.
