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Department of Chemistry  |
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Lab -208 Science Lab Office - 407K Hagen Hall Moorhead, MN 56563 Phone(218)
477-5085
/ 477-4323
FAX (218) 477-2018  Cell signalling is my bag |
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Department of Chemistry |
|
Lab -208 Science Lab Office - 407K Hagen Hall Moorhead, MN 56563 Phone(218)
477-5085
/ 477-4323
FAX (218) 477-2018 Cell signalling is my bag |
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The best
way to get hold of me is to set up an appointment usually by
e-mail.
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For each credit of research we require that students work 1 to 2 days a week for 3 to 4 hours for the first semester. The time commitment after that increases depending on your project. |
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G-Proteins
are the first intracellular that tell the cell what to do. Much of the
work
of our research centers around G proteins, protein kinases,
phospholipases
and the Na+/H+ Exchanger (NHE). We are currently working on how drugs against NHE will help fight non-small lung cell cancer. This is a very aggressive, deadly and hard to treat type of cancer and is the focus of our new NIH grant. |
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What do G-proteins do? Upon GTP binding to G, the G-binding site is rearranged and the subunits dissociate. Ribbon diagrams of G protein subunits shown above are the activated GTPgS-bound Ga subunit (A) and the inactive GDP-bound Ga(B). Notice the N-terminal helix is visible only in the GDP-bound structure. The Ga subunit is silver, and the bound nucleotides are magenta . The Gb contact sites on Ga are indicated by space-filled residues. Polar residues are pink, hydrophobic residues are yellow, basic residues are blue, and acidic residues are red. The relative orientations of the b contact sites in the switch interface of Ga·GTP are very different from the Ga·GDP and result in decreased binding. (C)The Gbg dimer. The Gb subunit, in metallic pink, forms a seven-bladed propeller structure that contains a water-filled pore. The Gg subunit, in blue, is an a helical structure that lies along the bottom of Gb. The N termini of Gb and Gg form a parallel coiled coil. When bg the subunits dissociate, Gbg is free to activate a number of effectors. |
Joseph
Provost is a Biochemistist and Molecular Biologist in his 13th year at
MSUM and is a member of the Department of Chemistry, and is chair of
the Biochemistry and Biotechnology Programmatic Committee at Minnesota
State
University
Moorhead. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from
Bemidji State University and his doctorate in Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology from University of North Dakota School of Medicine.
Dr. Provost did his post-doctoral work as a Howard Hughes Medical
Institute Research Associate in the laboratory of Dr. John Exton at
Vanderbilt University in the department of Molecular Physiology and
Biophysics.
While teaching 12 contact hours (four classes) a semester, advising
students and being involved throughout campus and the community on many
committees, Dr. Provost has maintained a successful research program
where he has been funded with over $1,900,000 in awards from the Autism
Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of
Health, the State of Minnesota and private foundations.
For the past 16 years Provost focused on how G protein coupled
signaling pathways cross-talk to signal to growth factor
cascades. These signaling pathways in turn regulate the activity
of the Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger (NHE). While NHE regulation is
important for intracellular pH homeostasis, a second role for the
transporter has also recently gained prominence. The dynamic
restructuring of the cytoskeleton, and the migration and invasion of
cancer cells is in part impacted by a second biochemical function of
NHE. Furthermore, the Dr Provost has initial evidence that NHE
may also be involved in the regulation of several proteases including
urokinase type plasminogen activator and one or more matrix
metalloproteinases. Both are proteins that are key functions of how an
aggressive tumor moves. A new direction in the Provost laboratory
is on understanding the biochemistry that may cause Autism. In
40-60% of diagnoses, Autism patients are deficient in Tuberous
Sclerosis Complex. This is a newly discovered protein that can
activate two pathways that both lead to NHE regulation. New this year
is a project working with Dr. Roxanne Vaught and Dr. James Foster of
the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Dept of the UND School of
medicine. On this project Dr. Provost is looking at how ERK
phosphorylates and potentially regulates neurotransimitor
transporters. The hopeful outcome is to better understand the
complicated regulation of a protein involved in cocaine, and meth
addiction as well as mental disorders incuding depression. In
all of
these efforts undergraduates are fully involved in all phases of the
experimentation.
Dr. Provost is an active member of Project Kaleidoscope Faculty for the
21st Century. In the past few years he helped facilitated many
workshops throughout the country on teaching investigative laboratories
and incorporating research into the undergraduate curriculum as well as
give workshops on how to conduct undergraduate research. Dr
Provost has served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Academy
of
Science and organized several meetings for Tri Beta and MN Acadamy of
Sciences.
Dr.
Provost is the Chair of the Undergraduate Affiliates Network (UAN) of
the American Society of Biochemistry and
Molecular
Biology (ASBMB) and is working on the committee to create a program for
universities around the country to accredit their biochemistry and
molecular biology degrees/majors. Dr.
Provost also serves as the Northwest Regional
Co-Directors for the ASBMB Undergraduate Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology
project and is a member of the ASBMB Education and Professional
Development Committee. In these positions Provost is responsible for
the coordination of resources for biochemistry and molecular biology
courses in the nation. For the past six years, Provost has been one of
the
organizers for the undergraduate poster session and runs one of the
sessions at the national ASBMB meeting. Dr Provost is on the editorial
board
for several journals including Chemical Biology & Drug Design,
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education and is a
member reviewing research and teaching grants at the National Science
Foundation as well as the National Institutes of Health.
- learning how cells recognize one another and communicate with enough efficiency to assemble a human being composed of a hundred thousand billion cells.What about Biotechnology ? Biotechnology is one of the most prestigious, fastest growing sectors in the global economy. In the past ten years, the number of biotechnology companies in the US grew from 360 to nearly 1,200. The number of businesses focused on medical applications of biotechnology grew nearly six-fold during the same period. We have a great biochemistry and biotechnology emphasis here at MSUM. This is a double major where you can get a BA in Biology and Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry and Biotechnology! This is an exciting major and if you are interested stop by for a visit with myself or Drs Chastain Rodenbaugh, Marry, or Wallert.- discovering how certain diseases such as cancer and AIDS escape detection by the immune system, devising ways to enhance immunity to combat these diseases, and looking for ways to suppress the immune system to help people who have received transplants
- trying to program bacteria to clean up the environment by 'eating' toxic chemicals.
- working in industry on biological polymers, creating new drugs and inhibitors for various diseases.
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