Donovan C. Haines , Ph.D.
Biochemistry; Bioorganic chemistry
Research Group / Personal Webpage
Education
B.S., Wichita State University (1993): Biochemistry
Ph.D., Wichita State University (1998): Chemistry (Biological Emphasis)
Postdoctoral Associate, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (1999–2001)
Affiliations
Research Description
My research involves the structure and mechanism of action of monooxygenase systems, especially those involved in metabolism of neurotransmitters, hormones, and pharmaceutical drugs. This fundamental research has direct medical relevance as aberrant behavior of oxygen utilizing enzymes has been implicated to varying degrees in many neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. To study these enzymes my laboratory employs organic synthesis to produce enzyme inhibitors, biochemistry to measure the effects of the inhibitors and probe enzyme mechanism, molecular biology to probe the effects of changes in protein sequence on enzyme properties, and spectroscopy and crystallography to study the structure and properties of the enzymes. In addition to using small molecules to study enzymes, we use enzymes to synthesize and study interesting small molecules on a research (200 mg) scale. Ongoing projects in the lab include the characterization of CYP46, a cyt. P450 that hydroxylates cholesterol prior to its removal from the brain. CYP46 has recently been linked to Alzheimer's Disease. Other projects include characterization of novel bacterial model P450 systems involved in the biosynthesis of natural products and their use for synthesizing new compounds as potential drug candidates.
Selected Publications
Wanduragala, S.; Wimalasena, D.S.; Haines, D.C.; Kahol, P.K.; Wimalasena, K. “pH-Induced Alteration and Oxidative Destruction of Heme in Purified Chromaffin Granule Cytochrome b561: Implications for the Oxidative Stress in Catecholaminergic Neurons”, Biochemistry (2003) 42: 3617-26.
Haines , D.C. ; Tomchick, D.R.; Machius, M.; Peterson, J.A. “The Pivotal Role of Water in the Mechanism of P450BM-3”, Biochemistry (2001) 40: 13456-65.
Falck, J.R.; Reddy, Y.K; Haines, D.C.; Reddy, K.M.; Krishna, U.M.; Graham, S.; Murry, B.; Peterson, J.A. “Practical, Enantiospecific Syntheses of 14,15-EET and Leukotoixn B (Vernolic Acid)”, Tetrahedron Letters (2001) 42: 4131-33.
- Updated: November 28, 2006
