UCLA

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar - Stephanie Tenney
2022-10-27 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Andrew Roberts
2022-10-27 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Andrew Roberts Flyer
Title: Chemical Strategies for Breaking and Making Carbon–Nitrogen Bonds
Abstract: C-N bond breaking: Amines are ubiquitous functional groups that are simple to prepare and functionalize. We show that tertiary amines can template reductive cyclization reactions, forming biaryl and bibenzyl carbon–carbon bonds. These cyclic amine products can undergo carbon–carbon bond-forming amine rearrangement and deaminative contraction reactions, providing efficient access to polycyclic (hetero)aromatic natural products. These strategies and our understanding of deaminative mechanisms will be presented. II. C-N bond making: Residue-selective methods for peptide modification and cyclization are useful for the development of therapeutic peptides with improved metabolic stability properties. The Roberts laboratory draws inspiration from cyclic peptide natural products that exhibit a host of promising biological properties. Motivated by the phenolic linkages found in both the arylomycin and vancomycin families of natural products, we have developed methods that leverage the in situ generation of 1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione moieties on native peptides to achieve tyrosine-selective cyclizations. In awe of lasso peptides, non-covalently interlocked and proteolytically-stable bioactive natural products, we are working to develop strategies for reversible isopeptide bond formation that could enable the sequence-independent chemical synthesis of lasso peptides. Detailed accounts of these methods and their applications will be presented.

Physical Chemistry Seminary 228: Stephan Link
2022-10-31 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Prof. Link Flyer
Title: Insights from Single Particle Spectroscopy of Plasmonic Nanostructures
Abstract: A surface plasmon in a metal nanoparticle is the coherent oscillation of the conduction band electrons leading to both absorption and scattering as well as strong local electromagnetic fields. These fundamental properties have been exploited in many different ways, including surface enhanced spectroscopy and sensing, photothermal cancer therapy, and color display generation. The performance of plasmonic nanoparticles for a desired application not only depends on the particle size and shape, but is tunable through nanoparticle interactions on different length scales that support near- and far-field coupling. Chemical synthesis and assembly of nanostructures are able to tailor plasmonic properties that are, however, typically broadened by ensemble averaging. Single particle spectroscopy together with correlated imaging is capable of removing heterogeneity in size, shape, and assembly geometry and furthermore allows one to separate absorption and scattering contributions. In this talk I will discuss our recent work on understanding the radiative, non-radiative, chiral, electrochemical, and mechanical properties of individual and coupled plasmonic nanostructures including the generation and transfer of hot electrons to semiconductors as well as to liquids, for applications seeking to harvest light energy with hybrid plasmonic materials.

Jeffrey I. Zink Inorganic Chemistry Seminar Series: Eszter Boros
2022-11-02 16:00 - 17:30 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Prof. Eszter Boros Flyer
Meet the Speaker: 11 a.m., YH 3096
Title: Capture, Excite, Release: Towards the Development of the Next Generation of Metal-based Medicines
Abstract: Stable and radioactive metal ions possess attractive properties for biomedical imaging and therapy. Our lab applies a cross-disciplinary approach that combines physical inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry, chemical biology and preclinical imaging to transform into tools for non-invasive diagnostic imaging, optical probes for image-guided surgical resection and targeted radiotherapy of cancers. This presentation will introduce the concept and validation of 1) self-illuminated optical probes and 2) photochemical/thermally activated isotope capture and release systems for the synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals.

Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Robert Grubbs
2022-11-03 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Robert Grubbs Flyer
Title: Investigating Aldehydes and Ketones as Monomers for Sustainable Polymers
Abstract: Chain polymerization of carbonyl compounds results in polymers with acetal linkages in the backbone that have potential as degradable or recyclable materials. The wide variety of aldehydes and ketones that occur naturally or through sustainable transformations of naturally occurring compounds suggests that they also have promise as sustainable materials. There are many challenges associated with purifying aldehyde and ketone monomers and with controlling their polymerization. Glyoxylate esters are one such class of monomers that can be polymerized by treatment with bases, but monomer purification is a critical issue and the polymerization mechanism has not been studied in detail. We will discuss our efforts to control the polymerization of glyoxylate esters from hydroxyl-terminated macroinitiators and to prepare a range of block copolymers with degradable polyglyoxylate blocks, including polymers that form hydrogels. Efforts toward expanding these polymerization methods to include other monomers and investigating the sustainability of these methods will also be discussed.

Physical Chemistry Seminar 228: Davit Potoyan
2022-11-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Prof Potoyan Flyer
Title: Multi-Scale Computational Studies of Biomolecular Dynamics and Phase Separation
Abstract: Cellular life is contingent on the ability of biomolecules to self-organize by forming dynamic and functional compartments. Uncovering the underlying driving forces for biomolecular self-organization is a long-standing fundamental problem for biological sciences. Experiments of the last decade have found that liquid-liquid phase separation of biomolecules underlies the formation of many mesoscopic cellular compartments. The ability to phase separation is encoded in the sequence of biomolecules. However, in vivo biomolecules are phase-separated in heterogeneous and out of equilibrium environments, further complicating the extraction of simple sequence-function relationships. Disentangling the roles of sequence and environment on biomolecular phase separation poses unique challenges for both theory and experiment, which call for developing novel interdisciplinary multi-scale computational approaches.
Our group is developing and applying multi-scale computational models that use atomistic, coarse-grained, and phase-field techniques to study nuclear compartmentalization at different scales, in and out of equilibrium. In the talk, we will present recent results on protein-RNA phase transitions, mesoscale nuclear dynamics of chromatin phase separation, and detailed models of biomolecular condensates based on bioinformatics and atomistic simulations.

The Chem Cell Press Lecture: Cathleen Crudden
2022-11-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Prof. Cathleen Crudden Flyer
Meet the Speaker: 11:30 a.m., YH 3096
Title: Metal catalysts, clusters and surfaces: Cross coupling chemistry and the use of NHCs to form monolayers on surfaces and clusters
Abstract: The use of N-heterocyclic carbenes to modify homogeneous metal catalysts is widespread since the high metal–NHC bond strength renders high oxidative and chemical stability to NHC–ligated metal complexes. Despite this fact, the use of NHCs to modify metal surfaces has received little attention until recently. We will describe the use of NHC ligands to stabilize metal surfaces, including Au(111), Cu(111), Pt(111) and other metals. Films prepared by the deposition of NHCs show molecular ordering on the surface and remarkable stability. The impact of NHCs on the chemistry of nanoclusters will also be discussed, including the preparation of chiral NHC-stabilized Au nanoclusters. We will also describe advances in cross-coupling chemistry the preparation of complex chiral molecules of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. This will include the ability to cross-couple seemingly identical boron substituents with different electrophiles, taking advantage of inherent differences in transmetallation behaviour. The development of novel electrophiles for Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling chemistry particularly sulfones as electrophiles for alkyl cross-coupling reactions will also be described.

Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Brett Fors
2022-11-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Brett Fors Flyer
Title: Controlling Polymer Structure in Cationic and Radical Polymerizations
Abstract: Synthetic polymers are significant importance in all aspects of modern life, and during the last few decades, these materials have facilitated major societal advances. Innovative polymeric materials have the potential to address humankind’s next grand scientific and technological challenges; however, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by these materials requires new methods for gaining precise control of polymer structure and function. To address this challenge, our research group focuses on the development of new synthetic methods and catalyst systems to control polymer architecture, composition, and function to yield next-generation materials. Specifically, this presentation will detail (1) the development of polymerization reactions where polymer chain growth and sequence are regulated with external stimuli and (2) the development of user-friendly cationic polymerization processes that can be run open to the air without reagent purification.

Organic Student Seminar 248: Jeremy Dworkin
2022-11-14 15:00 - 15:50 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Physical Chemistry Seminar 228: Natalie Banerejie
2022-11-14 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Prof. Banerjie Flyer
Title: Organic Semiconductors in Electronics, Photovoltaics and Bioelectronics
Abstrac: Organic conjugated materials have many favourable properties that make them interesting for a variety of electronic applications. The aim of my group is to understand the fundamental processes underlying their functionality. We use ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, such as transient absorption (TA) and time-domain terahertz (TD-THz) spectroscopies, to investigate charge carriers in organic semiconductors. While femtosecond TA measurements bring insights to the nature and evolution of the photoexcited species, we use TD-THz spectroscopy to gain information about the charge transport properties on the nanoscale. After presenting an overview of our experimental techniques, I will show results about charge generation in highly efficient solar cell materials based on organic polymer:nonfullerene blends. The photophysical properties of doped organic semiconductors are then discussed, as well as their applications to bioelectronic devices such as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). Finally, ways to explore ultrafast spectroscopy to study such devices in operando are presented.

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Bosi Peng and Rongli Liu
2022-11-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Jeffrey I. Zink Inorganic Chemistry Seminar Series: Emily Tsui
2022-11-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Prof. Emily Tsui Flyer
Meet the Speaker: 11 a.m., YH 3096
Title: Organometallic Chemistry at Quantum Dot Surfaces
Abstract: Due to their tunable optoelectronic properties, colloidal semiconductor quantum dot nanocrystals are useful in applications like displays, photovoltaics, and photocatalysis. Chemistry at nanocrystal surfaces, including redox processes, association/dissociation, and other structural rearrangements, has an outsize effect on the nanocrystal properties, but is challenging to study with typical spectroscopic methods. We show that organometallic fragments like transition metal carbonyl complexes can act as strongly-bound X-type or Z-type ligands to the nanocrystal surfaces, and that these species can be useful spectroscopic reporters of surface chemistry. These functionalized nanocrystals therefore enable in situ measurements of surface stoichiometry and surface charge under photoexcitation and during photocatalysis.

Special Physical Chemistry Seminar by Dr. Iain McKenzie
2022-11-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Katie Perrotta
2022-11-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

CANCELED: Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Elizabeth Gilles
2022-11-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED

Prof. Gilles Flyer
Title: Self-Immolative Polymers: Chemical Designs and Applications
Abstract: The development of degradable polymers is of significant interest across a wide range of fields from commodity plastics to medicine. Much progress has been made to date with conventional polyesters such as polylactide and polycaprolactone. However, the ability to control the degradation of these polymers in different environments is limited and they may degrade more rapidly or more slowly than desired. Many stimuli-responsive polymers have been developed over the past couple of decades, but these polymers typically require many stimuli-mediated events to achieve complete backbone degradation. Our team has been developing self-immolative polymers, a recently established class of degradable polymers, that undergo end-to-end backbone depolymerization in response to the cleavage of a single backbone bond or an end-cap from the polymer terminus, thereby providing amplification of the stimulus-mediated event. This presentation will describe the development of different classes of self-immolative polymers, as well as end-caps for these polymers, which can be triggered under different conditions. Our progress in the synthesis of these polymers, as well as their application in areas such as therapeutic delivery and medical imaging will be discussed.

Organic Student Seminar 248: Emma Greene
2022-11-21 15:00 - 15:50 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Physical Chemistry Seminar 228: Vojtech Vleck
2022-11-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Prof. Vlcek Flyer
Title: Excitation Dynamics Driving the Electronic Structure of Molecules and Solids
Abstract: Capturing the dynamics of electronic excitations in realistic systems containing more than a few electrons is one of the outstanding theoretical challenges. Dynamical quantum correlations mediate interactions and couplings between multiple excited states in materials and represent an important driver of their optoelectronic characteristics. A predictive ab-initio theory is thus critical for understanding, predicting, and designing novel compounds with tailored (quantum) properties. I will discuss how to tackle the first-principles description of excitation dynamics in systems with thousands of electrons and study individual excited states, including their non-trivial interactions. I will exemplify these approaches in practical applications to quantum materials, e.g., exploring the correlated phenomena for localized moire states in twisted bilayer graphene and defect centers in diamond. Our theoretical framework uses real-time methods combined with ab-initio dynamical downfolding. Together with efficient low-scaling numerical techniques, it is generally applicable to (quantum) material science and chemistry problems and constitutes an ideal platform for simulating complex nanoscale systems, such as molecular assemblies or materials interfaces.

Organic Student Seminar 248: Gabriella Cooper
2022-11-28 15:00 - 15:50 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Jeffrey I. Zink Inorganic Chemistry Seminar Series: Megan Fieser
2022-11-30 16:00 - 17:30 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Prof. Megan Fieser Flyer
Meet the Speaker: 11 a.m., YH 3096
Title: Development of Catalytic Strategies for Advances in Polymer Sustainability
Abstract: As we strive to support our busy and demanding lifestyles, our dependence on disposable plastics has led to a global environmental crisis. The high stability of plastics to an array of conditions that was once highlighted as a value for commercialization has now become a serious flaw. Addressing this crisis is going to require collective efforts to recycle or upcycle the commercial products already produced at large scale and to develop more degradable or recyclable replacements. The Fieser group strives to achieve these ends through two research thrusts. In our polymerization thrust, rare earth metal catalysts are being developed for the synthesis of degradable plastics through the perfectly alternating copolymerization of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides and the block copolymerization of 1,3-dienes with cyclic esters. Using a host of complementary techniques, we demonstrate the development of efficient synthetic methods, thorough characterization of physical properties of the resulting polymers, and proof-of-concepts for future recycling processes. In our depolymerization thrust, we are exploring environmentally-friendly catalytic methods for the dechlorination of polyvinyl chloride, with an emphasis on establishing control over product selectivity. Using both inorganic and organic catalyst systems, we show facile tunability of the organic polymer product for potential assimilation to varying applications. Recent advances from both research thrusts will be discussed.

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Mengzhen Chen
2022-12-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Sidney Wilkerson-Hill
2022-12-01 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Seminar Sponsored by Organization for Cultural Diversity in Science
Prof Wilkerson Hill Flyer
Title: Orphaned Cyclopropanes
Abstract: Cyclopropanes are strained carbocycles that have fascinated chemists for decades with many established methods for their construction. Unfortunately, many methods struggle to build cyclopropanes containing only alkyl functionality, which limits access to antiviral medicines (e.g., nirmatrelvir), pyrethroid insecticides and sesquiterpenoid natural products. These cyclopropanes have been “orphaned” or left behind by state-of-the-art cycloaddition methods and are typically characterized as arising from the transfer of a unstabilized carbene unit. The goals of the Hill group are to develop new methods to obtain orphaned cyclopropanes and to use these strategies to address the coming “insectocalypse”. To this end, we have developed three cyclopropanation methods that break with traditional paradigms and enable the rational design and facile access to orphaned cyclopropanes. Our most recent approach leverages the high reactivity of lithiosulfones to transfer dialkyl carbene groups to styrenes.

Inaugural Dickerson Lecture Biochemistry Seminar Series: Robert M. Stroud
2022-12-01 16:00 - 17:30 | Boyer 159, 611 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Dickerson Lecture Flyer – Robert M. Stroud
Title: “Caught in the Act! – Building the Wall!”
Abstract: From the atomic structure of the first protein, Myoglobin in which Richard Dickerson played the key role(1), proteins were necessarily purified from large animals. Now complex machines can be ‘tagged’ and purified endogenously from cells growing under normal conditions(2), revealing their endogenous partnerships, natural substrates, and reactions as if trapped ‘in action’. The mycolic acid layer of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall is essential for viability and virulence, and the enzymes responsible for its synthesis are therefore targets for antimycobacterial drug development. Polyketide synthase 13 (Pks13) performs the key essential final condensation of mycolic acids. Structures determined by cryogenic electron microscopy of dimeric multi-enzyme Pks13 purified from mycobacteria, are captured with native endogenous long-chain fatty acid substrates. Structures define the ketosynthase (KS), linker domains, and acyltransferase (AT) domains at 1.8 Å resolution, and show two alternate locations of the N-terminal acyl carrier protein that delivers substrate from a fatty acid synthase to the KS domain. Other domains, visible only at low resolution, are flexible relative to the KS-AT core. These structures, together with cross linking and integrative modeling suggest intermediate states on the pathway to mycolic acid synthesis(3).

Special Materials Chemistry Seminar by Prof. Jennifer Dionne
2022-12-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Jeffrey I. Zink Inorganic Chemistry Seminar Series: Mahdi Abu-Omar
2022-12-07 16:00 - 17:30 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Flyer: Prof. Mahdi Abu-Omar Flyer
Meet the Speaker: 11 a.m., YH 3096
Title: Bifunctional catalysis for upcycling of polyethylene to alkylaromatics
Abstract: The current scale of plastics production (nearing 400 million tons per year) and the accompanying waste disposal problems represent a largely untapped opportunity for chemical upcycling. Tandem catalytic conversion by platinum supported on γ-alumina converts various polyethylene grades in high yields to liquid alkyl aromatics in the absence of added solvent or molecular hydrogen. These molecules can be used as biodegradable detergents. Coupling exothermic hydrogenolysis with endothermic aromatization renders the overall process thermodynamically accessible despite moderate reaction temperature. The UCSB upcycling process demonstrates how waste polyolefins can be a viable feedstock for the generation of useful and value-added molecules.

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Chenxiang Wang
2022-12-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Special Biochem Seminar - Steve Bonilla
2023-01-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Title: Dissecting Dynamic RNA 3D Landscapes by Cryo-EM

Physical Chemistry Seminar 228: Dr. Victoria Barber
2023-01-05 11:00 - 12:00 | via Zoom
Dr. Barber Flyer 1.5.23

Houk-Jung Organic Colloquium 247: Dr. Saki Ichikawa
2023-01-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Dr. Ichikawa Flyer
Title: Natural Recognition Motifs for the E3 Ligase Adapter Cereblon
Abstract: Understanding the biology of drug target proteins is essential to enhance drug discovery efforts and mechanistic studies. The clinical drugs thalidomide and its derivatives, known as immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), are recognized by a conserved binding domain on the E3 ligase adapter cereblon (CRBN), resulting in lifesaving anti-cancer treatments or horrific teratogenicity. However, despite the growing use of CRBN in the lab and clinic, the mechanisms CRBN uses to recognize protein substrates have escaped definition to date. E3 ligase complexes select proteins for degradation by recognizing degrons, specific amino acid sequences sufficient to promote ubiquitination and degradation when embedded in a protein substrate. We hypothesized that degrons for the thalidomide-binding domain of CRBN could be installed on its substrates via post-translational modifications. Here, I will discuss our chemical approaches to discovering a degron for the thalidomide-binding domain of CRBN and its implications for the physiological function and therapeutic engagement of CRBN.
Bio: Saki Ichikawa is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Professor Christina M. Woo at Harvard University, where she investigates natural substrate recognition mechanisms of the E3 ligase adapter cereblon (CRBN). She obtained a BS in Chemistry from the University of Tokyo (2014), where she conducted undergraduate research in the laboratory of Professor Eiichi Nakamura. In 2019, Saki received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under the guidance of Professor Stephen L. Buchwald. While at MIT, she focused on the development of copper-catalyzed asymmetric hydroamination reactions. By integrating chemical biology, organic chemistry, and chemical proteomics, Saki aims to address significant questions in the chemistry and biology of protein modifications.

Special Biochemistry Seminar - Michael Lawson
2023-01-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Michael Lawson Seminar
Title: Defining the Pathways of Eukaryotic Translational Quality Control
Abstract: My research examines how protein synthesis concludes on normal and defective mRNAs. Understanding how these processes are choregraphed is crucial for human health; for example, 11% of all heritable human diseases are caused by premature stop codons. As a postdoctoral fellow, I defined the molecular events that liberate polypeptides from ribosomes as translation concludes on normal mRNAs. Using an in vitro reconstituted yeast translation system and single-molecule assays, I tracked the interplay of eukaryotic release factors (eRF1 and eRF3) with ribosomes halted at stop codons. I discovered that eRF1 and eRF3 act together to quickly recognize stop codons and elicit termination via a tightly regulated process that resembles how ribosomes select proper tRNAs in translation elongation, which explains how translation termination is fast yet also specific for stop codons. Since the release factors are well conserved throughout eukaryotes, these mechanisms are likely a fundamental feature of eukaryotic protein synthesis. My work also revealed that diverse effectors inhibit translation termination to promote stop codon readthrough, suggesting a new route to treat diseases caused by premature stop codons which includes cystic fibrosis and hereditary cancers. In the future, I will use single-molecule and structural approaches to watch translation unfold on defective mRNAs to understand the molecular events used to evaluate mRNAs and prevent the repeated synthesis of toxic proteins.

Organic Student Seminar 248: Aaron Chavarria
2023-01-09 15:00 - 15:50 | Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
