This Project Grant award of $461,575 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to Earlham College will fund research to investigate how bacteria protect themselves from toxic D-amino acids and how the enzyme ProXP-X recognizes and binds to D-amino acids versus L-amino acids. The project aims to determine the specific features of tRNA that ProXP-X recognizes and the active site residues that distinguish between mischarged L- and D-amino acid-tRNAs. Undergraduate students will be trained to conduct this research, which will also lead to the development of exhibits, games, and classroom materials about molecular biology and biochemistry for the Joseph Moore Museum on Earlham's campus. The findings are expected to expand the field's understanding of protein synthesis, enzyme function, and how bacteria adapt to D-amino acid stress.
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