Studying the Stability of L-DOPA 2,3 dioxygenase from Streptomyces hygroscopicus jingganensis and its Mutant

Molly Durney ’26

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Colabroy

Other Research Team Members: I was a part of a small research team that worked together doing maintenance tasks for our lab. This group contained my mentor, Jon Cohen, and another lab member, Or-El Ankori. We often worked together answering each others questions, providing support, and creating an encouraging atmosphere.

What is the broader impact of your summer research? That is, why should the world care about your work?

Woody plants, like trees, contain a structure called, lignin. Lignin is an untapped source of carbon, making up 20-30% of excess carbon. L-DOPA dioxygenases break down lignin’s catecholic rings which allows for the creation of natural products like antibiotics and anti-tumor agents. In hopes to upcycle unused carbon, L-DOPA dioxygenases can be used. Our lab has four homologs which function the same as L-DOPA dioxygenase. My project studies the stability of one of the homologs, Jing, and a mutant made in BCM341Fall. Mutations are often less stable than the original protein. I examine the stability by performing a Thermal Shift Assay using the qPCR.

What has summer research taught you about yourself and the field that you researched and/or studied?

This summer, I saw a lot of growth in leaning to problem solve and think independently. I was afraid of letting go and making decisions by myself, but once I did this, I felt so much more confident in my abilities. This allowed me to feel more comfortable and confident when discussing my work with others.I learned that often there is research to the research. I felt as though the first 2-3 weeks of summer I spent researching how to use my instrument, how other researchers performed the experiment, and what materials worked best for my experiment. 

What advice would you give to students considering a future research opportunity similar to the one you participated in?

Be patient. Research is not easy and it will test you, there are the long days, failed experiments, and just bad days overall. However, no matter how much you want to quit, it is so worth it once you can see all your data coming together.