Dr. Kelly Chacón

Reed University

April 19th, 2019 – Spring Seminar

Time and Location: Noon in Meyerhoff Chemistry, Room 120

Host: Dr. Aaron Smith

 

“Trapping Intermediates in Metalloprotein Transfer Reactions”

Transition metal ions are responsible for a vast number of crucial cell processes, but we still have so much to understand about the fundamental chemical ways that they are shuttled to their final cellular destinations. We also have much to learn about the tasks they perform within proteins and enzymes. My work involves finding spectroscopic ways to catch proteins in the act as they bind and move metal ions like Zn, Cu, and Fe – and in particular, I will discuss my applications of stopped flow spectrometry and rapid freeze quench x-ray absorption spectroscopy to monitor the secret handshakes of metalloproteins