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Enzyme catalyzes a reaction to make component of DNA
In this image, an enzyme called orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase catalyzes a reaction to make uridine 5'-monophosphate, a component of DNA. The image was produced as part of work performed by Jeehiun Katherine Lee in the Chemistry Department at Rutgers University, who studies enzyme mechanisms.
Lee received a grant from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program (grant CHE 05-43038) for research that will broaden understanding of nucleotide chemistry through gas phase mass spectrometric and theoretical quantum mechanical studies. Lee also received an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award to research the intrinsic hydrogen bonding ability of nucleic bases through a combination of gas phase mass spectroscopic acidity measurements and theoretical computations, and 2) to illucidate the enzymatic transformation of orotic acid to uracil, catalyzed by 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase, using kinetic isotope effects. (Date of Image: Unknown)
Credit: Dr. Dean J. Tantillo, Cornell University; Jeehiun Katherine Lee, Rutgers University
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