[MOS] Tuesday, March 16, 2004; Thomas Brunold, University of Wisconsin

[Vinnie Russo]

Dear Colleagues,

The G.R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory and the Department of Electrical 
Engineering and Computer Science would like to invite you to the next 
seminar in our series on Modern Optics and Spectroscopy.

Date & Time:            March 16, 2004; 12 noon - 1 PM

Location:               Grier Room (34-401)

Speaker:                Thomas Brunold, University of Wisconsin

Title:          Spectroscopic and Computational Insights into the 
Biosynthesis and Reactivity of Adenosylcobalamin

Refreshments will be served following the talk.

*********************************
Thomas Brunold, University of Wisconsin
Spectroscopic and Computational Insights into the Biosynthesis and 
Reactivity of Adenosylcobalamin

Abstract:
The B12 cofactor adenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B12; the biologically active 
form of vitamin B12) has long fascinated chemists with its unparalleled 
structural complexity and unusual reactivity in biological systems, 
involving homolytic cleavage of the organometallic Co-C bond to produce 
Co2+-cobalamin and an adenosyl radical. We utilize a combined 
spectroscopic/computational methodology to explore two fundamentally 
different, though complementary, aspects of B12 research; namely, the 
mechanism of biological Co-C bond formation in the adenosylcobalamin 
biosynthesis and the factors by which B12-dependent enzymes accelerate the 
rate of homolytic Co-C bond cleavage by ~12 orders of magnitude without 
significantly enhancing undesired Co-C bond heterolysis.


Vinnie Russo * vrusso at mit.edu  *  Office Manager
MIT; G.R. Harrison  Spectroscopy Laboratory
77 Mass. Ave., 6-014  *  Cambridge, MA  02139
(v) 617-253-9774  *  (f) 617-253-4513
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