Exploring bio-activity of polyoxometalates

Applicant: Nadiia Gumerova, PhD (Post-doctoral fellow, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Austria) National cooperation partner: Prof. Annette Rompel (Head of the Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Austria) Polyoxometalates (POMs), discrete polynuclear metal-oxo anions with a fascinating variety of structures and unique chemical and physical properties. Their full potential can be optimized by enhancing their biocompatibility through organic functionalization with bioactive moieties. In recent years, POMs emerged as a promising group of protein crystallization additives. Protein crystallography is the most widely used method for determining the molecular structure of proteins and obtaining structural information on proteinligand complexes at the atomic level. As the structure determines the functions and properties of a protein, crystallography is of immense importance for nearly all research fields related to biochemistry. The general aim of the proposed project is the synthesis and characterization of inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic polynuclear metal-oxo anions to investigate their potential application in the field of protein crystallography and as antibacterial agents as well as to shed light on the mechanism of their interaction with biopolymers. The innovativeness and unique character of the project lies in the target-oriented design of novel hybrid POMs with enhanced stability and biological activity, which will be applied in different biological systems. The combination of organic molecules, which may adopt different conformations, and inorganic polyanions with fairly rigid cagelike structures will improve the interaction between the macromolecules which is very often the basis for successful crystal formation.