Biochemistry Faculty
Dongping Zhong
Research Interests:
The research in the Zhong group is directed to understanding the nature
of elementary processes in biological systems and relating dynamics
and structures to function in real systems at the most fundamental level,
using state-of-the-art femtosecond lasers and molecular biology methods.
The laboratory ultimately will have the capability of time resolution
from femtosecond to millisecond; biological systems can be prepared
and studied at the single molecule level. We are currently focusing
on studies of molecular recognition and ultrafast protein dynamics of
several important biological systems.
(1) Molecular recognition: Biological molecular
recognition is governed by physical forces and the understanding of
electrostatic interactions at the atomic scale is fundamental to protein
(and DNA) science. Here, we are particularly interested in protein-DNA/ligand
binding processes to study local hydration, complex rigidity and conformation
dynamics. These studies are very important to drug transport and design,
protein folding and unfolding, and enzyme catalysis.
(2) Ultrafast structural dynamics of protein (enzyme): A
variety of ultrafast elementary reactions involved in protein functioning
such as twist motion, proton, electron and energy transfer, and bond
breaking and making will be studied. Site-direct mutagenesis will be
used to alter structurally and chemically important residue(s) to study
the local reactivity. These studies will elucidate the role of dynamics
in structure-dynamics-function correlation and the nature of non-equilibrium
biological dynamics by coherent femtosecond laser preparation.
Selected publications from the last 5 years:
Zhong D, Pal SK, Zhang D, Chan SI, Zewail AH. “Femtosecond dynamics
of rubredoxin: tryptophan solvation and resonance energy transfer in
the protein.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99(1): 13-8 (2002).
Qu X, Wan C, Becker HC,Zhong D, Zewail AH. “The anticancer drug-DNA
complex: femtosecond primary dynamics for anthracycline antibiotics
function.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 98(25): 14212-7 (2001).
Zhong D, Pal SK, Wan C, Zewail AH. “Femtosecond dynamics of a drug-protein
complex: daunomycin with Apo riboflavin-binding protein.” Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 98(21): 11873-8 (2001).
Zhong D, Zewail AH. “Femtosecond dynamics of flavoproteins: charge
separation and recombination in riboflavine (vitamin B2)-binding protein
and in glucose oxidase enzyme.”
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.98(21): 11867-72 (2001).
Zhong D, Douhal A, Zewail AH. “Femtosecond studies of protein-ligand
hydrophobic binding and dynamics: human serum albumin.” Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA. 97(26): 14056-61 (2000).
Zhong D, Zewail AH. “Femtosecond dynamics of dative bonding: Concepts
of reversible and dissociative electron transfer reactions.” Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.96(6): 2602-2607 (1999).
