Research direction 5

Working activity № 5. Determination of the spectral parameters of the acquired compounds in relation to bio-molecules.

Tasks of the working activity:

1. To perform analysis of academic literature and patents..

2. To assess possibilities and parameters of binding.

3. With the help of fluorescent analysis to obtain spectral characterization of bound fluorophores.

4. To prepare a patent application for the use of fluorescent probes in bio-molecule researches

In the beginning of commencement of the activity and also in later stages the latest academic works and patents will be analyzed. In the given activity it is planned to research fluorescent peculiarities of the new compounds obtained in activity No. 2, as they bind with albumens, lipids and nucleic acids. Binding with albumin causes especial interest because it is dynamics of proteins that determines many functional characteristics of cells. Albumin is one of the most generously represented albumins in the human blood plasma. Therefore it is important to follow and assess transportation function of albumin in clinic researches. Many issues regarding structure of cell membrane, physical properties related to albumin structure (especially in molecule tryptophan area), functional role ligand and transportation of their oxidation products with various pathologies remains unclear. Quality analysis of changes in albumin in relation to immunologic parameters (division of peripheral blood mononuclear cell subpopulation) would help in determination of mutual conformities and peculiarities of changes in all abovementioned parameters with various pathologies (patients of oncology profile) and on the organism under influence of external factors (ionizing radiation).

So far there have been no systematic researches regarding structural peculiarities of albumin tryptophanyl area, which play significant role in location of association centers and in the properties thereof (incl. in hydrophobicity), which determine effectiveness of transportation functions of albumin. In the course of work it is planned to determine specificity, hydrophobicity, affinity of locations of the albumin association as well as the number of association centers. Dr. phys. G. Gorbenko from Ukraine will be involved in this activity as she has vast experience in research of intermolecular interaction with fluorescent probes.

It is planned to carry out analogue researches with plant albumens (and to use the data in activity No. 6 dedicated to research of processes that take place in plant cells), as well as nucleic acids and lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids etc.). In this activity it is planned to use mathematic modeling methods of biochemical processes (within the activity No. 8) in order to determine the mechanisms of binding of both lipids and albumens, as well as their influence on dynamics and functions of cell membranes. Based on the obtained results we plan to develop fluorescent methods for the clinic in order to follow, assess and if necessary – to correct the function of blood transport.

Laboratory premises of Department of Chemistry, Daugavpils University, G. Liberts Innovative Microscopy Centre and the following academic equipment will be used in work (spectrophotometer “CECIL 1021”, spectrofluorometer “FluoroMax-3”, microscopes – confocal laser-scanning microscope Leica TCSP-5, epi-fluorescent microscope Zeiss Axioskop 40.