Seminars: April 9, 2021 – 1:30-2:20 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 916 7317 3207
Passcode: BroncoChem
“Searching for Ancient Wine in pre-6000 BCE Pottery Sherds”
Avery Irwin
Callahan Lab,
Boise State University
The Republic of Georgia is known for being one of the first wine-producing countries. One of the primary goals of the Gadachrili Gora Regional Archaeological Project Expedition (G.R.A.P.E.) is to investigate the emergence and evolution of Georgian viticulture and viniculture. The Callahan Lab received pottery sherds and soil samples excavated in 2017 and 2019 from the Neolithic sites of Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveris Gora. These pottery sherds may represent some of the oldest artifacts recovered (pre-6000 BCE) based on radiocarbon dating and excavation depth. I used a hot base extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze pottery sherds and accompanying soil samples for organic acids that are characteristic of grapes and wine. I will discuss my latest results and its implications for the earliest wine.
“The role of MTN deficiency on vitamin-requiring metabolic enzyme activity in E. Coli.”
Matthew Krahn
Cornell Lab
Boise State University
5′-methylthioadenosine/S-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase (MTN) is an enzyme responsible for the regulation and degradation of 5’-Deoxyadenosine(5’dAdo), 5’-Methylthioadensine (MTA), and Sadenosylhomocysteine (SAH). Deficiency in MTN results in excess levels of these metabolites resulting in accumulation and product inhibition of their respective synthetic pathways. In this way, we expect accumulation of 5’dAdo to partially inhibit its synthetic pathway of S adenosyl methionine (SAM) reactions, leading vitamins synthesized through SAM radical reactions to also be partially inhibited. Enzymes which utilize these vitamins are expected to have their activity reduced. Enzymatic assays were used to determine the change in activity in vitamin requiring enzymes within E. coli metabolism.
The seminar series is presented by the Boise State Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. For more information, contact Karri Burgess.