Eric V. Anslyn

anslyn@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry
University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Faculty
Norman Hackerman Professorship in Chemistry
Eric V. Anslyn

Contact Information

Office
WEL 5.201
Office Phone
471-0068
Lab
WEL 5.146
Lab Phone
471-1669
Fax
471-7791

Research Group

The Anslyn Group

Education

BS, California State University - Northridge (1982);   PhD, California Institute of Technology (1987); Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (1994-6)

Awards

Graduate Teaching Award, UT Austin (2003);   Election to Academy of Distinguished Teachers, UT Austin (2000);    Outstanding Faculty Award, UT Continuing Education (1999);   Jean Holloway Award for Excellence in Teaching (1999);   Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1996, 1995, 1994);   College of Natural Sciences Teaching Excellence Award (1995)

Physical organic and bioorganic chemistry

My research group is interested in the physical and bioorganic chemistry of synthetic and natural receptors and catalysts. Using a combination of synthesis, NMR, slow and fast kinetics, and computer modeling, we design and implement studies oriented at the development of compounds which perform certain functions and tasks. In specific, we focus upon catalysts of phosphoryl and glycosyl transfers, receptors for carbohydrates and enolates, and single and multi-analyte sensors. In addition, we seek to form polymeric molecules that exhibit unique abiotic secondary structure and are useful in novel combinatorial library applications.

In the arena of phosphoryl transfer, the work involves investigation of the cooperativity of guanidiniums, metals and general bases. These functional groups are common elements of natural phosphatases. We make simple synthetic analogs of the natural systems. For example, bis-guanidinium structures have been found to bind and enhance the imidazole catalyzed hydrolysis of RNA. We are currently incorporating general bases and electrophilic metals as a means of producing a multifunctional RNA cleaving artificial enzyme.

Finally, as a means of developing sensors, we are pursuing the formation of combinatorial libraries of non-peptidic structures and polyguanidiniums. The goal is the formation of libraries of these novel polymers, from which useful receptors can be isolated by various screening methods. This is a new area of research for our group, but in a similar manner to our other projects, it nicely combines synthetic and molecular biology approaches to achieving practical results.

Representative Publications

  • Zhu, Lei; Shabbir, Shagufta H.; Gray, Mark; Lynch, Vincent M.; Sorey, Steven; Anslyn, Eric V  "A Structural Investigation of the N-B Interaction in an o-(N,N-Dialkylaminomethyl)arylboronate System" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128 (2006): 1222-1232.

  • Zhu, Lei; Anslyn, Eric V  "Signal amplification by allosteric catalysis" Angew. Chem., Int. Ed 45 (2006): 1190-1196.

  • Aaron Wright, M. Griffin, Z. Zhong, S.McCleskey, E.V. Anslyn, J.T. McDevitt  "Differential Receptors Create Patterns That Distinguish Various Proteins" Angew. Chem. 117 (2005): 6533-6536.

  • Folmer-Andersen, J. Frantz ; Lynch, Vincent M. ; Anslyn, Eric V.  "Colorimetric Enantiodiscrimination of .alpha.-Amino Acids in Protic Media" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127 (2005): 7987-7988.

  • Zhu, Lei; Zhong, Zhenlin; Anslyn, Eric V.  "Guidelines in implementing enantioselective indicator-displacement assays for .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylates and diols" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127 (2005): 4260.