Wayne L. Hubbell
Encyclopedia
Wayne L. Hubbell is an American biochemist
and member of the National Academy of Sciences
. He is Professor of Biochemistry and Jules Stein Professor of Ophthalmology
at the University of California, Los Angeles
. His research focuses on the visual system, and is primarily supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute
.
of a protein
and the conformational changes that control its function. Of particular interest are membrane proteins that behave as "molecular switches", i.e., proteins whose structures are switched to an active state by a physical or chemical signal. An example is light-activated rhodopsin
, the visual pigment in photoreceptor cells of the retina
. The goal is to elucidate the structure of rhodopsin, the mechanism of the molecular switch, and regulation of this switch by associated proteins, transducin
and arrestin
.
Dr. Hubbell's research also includes structure and function relationships in water soluble proteins such as the lens protein, a-crystallin
, and the retinoid
carrying proteins which transport vitamin A
throughout photoreceptor cells.
Dr. Hubbell's laboratory developed site-directed spin labeling
(SDSL), a technique for the exploration of protein structure and dynamics. By changing the genetic code, a specific attachment point in the protein is created for a nitroxide spin label probe. Analysis of the electron paramagnetic resonance
(EPR) spectrum of the spin label provides information about the local environment in the protein. With a sufficiently large set of labeled proteins, global information on structure is obtained, and most importantly, changes in the structure during function can be followed in real time.
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. He is Professor of Biochemistry and Jules Stein Professor of Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. His research focuses on the visual system, and is primarily supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute
National Eye Institute
The National Eye Institute is one of the US National Institutes of Health that was established in 1968. The mission of NEI is to prolong and protect the vision of the American people. The NEI conducts and performs research into treating and preventing diseases affecting the eye or vision....
.
Research
Dr. Hubbell has studied the relationship between the molecular structureMolecular structure
The molecular structure of a substance is described by the combination of nuclei and electrons that comprise its constitute molecules. This includes the molecular geometry , the electronic properties of the...
of a protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
and the conformational changes that control its function. Of particular interest are membrane proteins that behave as "molecular switches", i.e., proteins whose structures are switched to an active state by a physical or chemical signal. An example is light-activated rhodopsin
Rhodopsin
Rhodopsin, also known as visual purple, is a biological pigment of the retina that is responsible for both the formation of the photoreceptor cells and the first events in the perception of light. Rhodopsins belong to the G-protein coupled receptor family and are extremely sensitive to light,...
, the visual pigment in photoreceptor cells of the retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
. The goal is to elucidate the structure of rhodopsin, the mechanism of the molecular switch, and regulation of this switch by associated proteins, transducin
Transducin
Transducin is a heterotrimeric G protein that is naturally expressed in vertebrate retina rods and cones .- Mechanism of action :...
and arrestin
Arrestin
Arrestins are a small family of proteins important for regulating signal transduction.-Function:Arrestins were first discovered as a part of a conserved two-step mechanism for regulating the activity of G protein-coupled receptors in the visual rhodopsin system by Hermann Kühn and co-workers and...
.
Dr. Hubbell's research also includes structure and function relationships in water soluble proteins such as the lens protein, a-crystallin
Crystallin
In anatomy, a crystallin is a water-soluble structural protein found in the lens and the cornea of the eye accounting for the transparency of the structure. It has also been identified in other places such as the heart, and in aggressive breast cancer tumors....
, and the retinoid
Retinoid
The retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are related chemically to vitamin A. Retinoids are used in medicine, primarily due to the way they regulate epithelial cell growth....
carrying proteins which transport vitamin A
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a vitamin that is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of a specific metabolite, the light-absorbing molecule retinal, that is necessary for both low-light and color vision...
throughout photoreceptor cells.
Dr. Hubbell's laboratory developed site-directed spin labeling
Site-directed spin labeling
Site-directed spin labeling is a technique for investigating protein local dynamics using electron spin resonance. The theory of SDSL is based on the specific reaction of spin labels with amino acids. A spin label's built-in protein structure can be detected by EPR spectroscopy...
(SDSL), a technique for the exploration of protein structure and dynamics. By changing the genetic code, a specific attachment point in the protein is created for a nitroxide spin label probe. Analysis of the electron paramagnetic resonance
Electron paramagnetic resonance
Electron paramagnetic resonance or electron spin resonance spectroscopyis a technique for studying chemical species that have one or more unpaired electrons, such as organic and inorganic free radicals or inorganic complexes possessing a transition metal ion...
(EPR) spectrum of the spin label provides information about the local environment in the protein. With a sufficiently large set of labeled proteins, global information on structure is obtained, and most importantly, changes in the structure during function can be followed in real time.
Education and training
- BS, Oregon State UniversityOregon State UniversityOregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, 1965 - Ph.D., Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, 1970 - AFORSR-NRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Chemistry, Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Awards and honors
- Westinghouse Science Talent Search Finalist, 1961
- Alfred P. Sloan FoundationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationThe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.-Overview:...
Fellow, 1973 - Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Award, 1975–80
- Research to Prevent Blindness Senior Investigator Award, 1990
- National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of HealthThe National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
MERIT Award, 1990 - Biophysical SocietyBiophysical SocietyThe Biophysical Society is an organization consisting of over 9,000 researchers in academia, government, and industry. Based in the USA, its international membership has grown to about 1/3 of the total. Founded in 1957 by Ernest C...
's Elisabeth Roberts Cole Award, 1991 - Alcon Research Institute Award, 1994
- Alexander M. Cruickshank Lecturer, 1997
- Honorary degree, University of PécsUniversity of PécsThe University of Pécs is the Hungarian university with the largest number of students and faculties.-History:...
, Hungary, 1998 - Fellow of the Biophysical Society, 2000 (first class)
- Gold Medal, International EPR Society, 2000
- International Zavoisky Award in EPR, 2003
- Fellow, American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, 2001 - Bruker Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry-ESR Group, 2004
- Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 2005