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Desamero, Ruel
 

Desamero, Ruel


Professor
Chemistry

Phone: 718-262-2657
Office Location: AC-3F01F
rdesamero@york.cuny.edu

Office Hours  
Monday and Wednesday or by appointment  1-2:30 

Education

Degree Institution Field Dates
PhD  University of Connecticut  Chemistry  1998 

My research is centered on investigating the structural and dynamical aspects of protein-small molecule interactions using techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy and T-jump relaxation. One aspect of the work is to understand enzyme-substrate interactions which have long been recognized as representing an extreme expression of structural complementarities in biological chemistry. Basic research geared towards understanding the inner workings of an enzyme system is important if cures for the diseases caused by a malfunctioning or deficient enzyme are to be found. Our group is investigating the hydride transfer mechanism involved in the enzyme dihydropteridine reductase. DHPR is important in the normal cycling of tetrahydrobiopterin, an essential cofactor in the synthesis of serotonin and cathecholamine precursors. Regulation of DHPR became of interest with the discovery of atypical phenylketonuria, a neurological disorder associated with a defect in tetrahydrobiopterin recycling.

Areas of Expertise

Protein Biochemistry
Vibrational Spectroscopy
Time-resolved Studies
Temperature-jump Relaxation Techniques

Articles in Field Of Expertise

Vedad, J., Mojica, E.-R. E., Desamero, R. Z. B.. "Raman Spectroscopic Discrimination of Estrogens." Vibrational Spectroscopy. 96 2018: 93-100.

Vedad, J., Domaradzki, M. E., Mojica, E.-R. E., Chang, E. J., Profit, A.A., Desamero, R. Z. B.. "Conformational Differentiation of alpha-cyanohydroxycinnamic acid isomers: a Raman spectroscopic study." Journal of Raman Spectroscopy. 48 2017: 1282-1288.

Deng, H., Vedad, J., Desamero, R. Z. B., Callender R.. "Difference FTIR Studies of Substrate Distribution in Triosephosphate Isomerase." Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 121 2017: 10036-10046.

Profit, A.A., Vedad, J. and Desamero, R.Z.B.. "Peptide Conjugates of Benzene Carboxylic Acids as Agonists and Antagonists of Amylin Aggregation." Bioconjugate Chemistry. 28 2017: 666-677.

Nie, B., Lodewyks, H. Deng, R.Z.B. Desamero and R. Callender. "Active-Loop Dynamics within the Michaelis Complex of Lactate Dehydrogenase from Bacillus strearothermophilus." Biochemistry. 55 2016: 3803-3814.

Kang, J., and R. Z. B. Desamero. "Synthesis of 13C and 15N Isotope Labeled Triazine Inhibitors for the Mechanistic Study of Dihydropteridine Reductase." Letters in Organic Chemsitry. 12 2015: 659-662.

Mojica, E., J. Vedad, and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Vibrational Analysis of Alpha-Cyanohydroxycinnamic acid." Journal of Molecular Structure. 1094 2015: 203-209.

Profit, A.A., J.D. Vedad, M. Saleh and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Aromaticity and Amyloid Formation: Role of π-Electron Distribution and Aryl Substituent Geometry in the Self-Assembly of Peptides Based hIAPP22-29." Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 567 2015: 46-58.

Nie, B., H. Deng, R.Z.B. Desamero and R. Callender. "Large scale dynamics of the Michaelis Complex in B. stearothermophilus lactate dehydrogenase revealed by single tryptophan mutants study." Biochemistry. 52 2013: 1886-1892.

Profit, A.A., V. Felsen, J. Chinwong, E.-R. Mojica, and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Evidence of π-stacking interactions in the self-assembly of hIAPP22-29." PROTEINS: Structure, Function and Bioinformatics. 81 2013: 690-703.

Deng, H., D.V. Vu, K. Clinch, R. Desamero, R.B. Dryer and R. Callender. "Conformational Heterogeneity Within the Michaelis Complex of Lactate Dehydrogenase." J. Phys. Chem. B. 115 2011: 7670-7678.

Desamero, R.Z.B., J. Kang, C. Dol, J. Chinwong, K. Walters, T. Sivirajah, and A.A. Profit. "Spectroscopic Characterization of the SH2- and Active Site-Directed Peptide Sequences of a Bivalent Src Kinase Inhibitor." Applied Spectroscopy. 63 2009: 767-774.

Juszczak, L.J. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Extension of tryptophan dihedral angle-W3 band frequency relationship to a full rotation: correlations and caveats." Biochemistry. 48 2009: 2777-2787.

Kang, J. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Synthesis of 6-amino-2,3-dimethylpyrimido[4,5-e][1,2,4] triazine-8-one as an inhibitor of dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR)." Letters in Organic Chemistry. 5 2008: 87-91.

Gulotta, M., L. Qui, R. Desamero, J. Rosgen, D.W. Bolen, and R. Callender. "Effects of Cell Volume Regulating Osmolytes on Glycerol 3-Phosphate Binding to Triosephosphate Isomerase." Biochemistry. 46 2007: 10055-10062.

Desamero, R.Z.B., S. Rozovsky, N. Zhadin, A. McDermott and R. Callender. "Active Site Loop Motion in Triosephosphate Isomerase: T-jump relaxation spectroscopy of thermal activation." Biochemistry. 40 2003: 3767-3773.

Desamero, R.Z.B., H. Cheng, S. Cahill, M. Girvin, H. Deng, R. Callender, P. Rath, B. Variano and J. Smart. "The Physical Properties of Compounds that Promote the Oral Delivery of Macromolecular Drugs." Biopolymers. 67 2002: 26-40.

Desamero, R.Z.B., H. Cheng, S. Cahill, M. Girvin, H. Deng, R. Callender, P. Rath, B. Variano and J. Smart. "Interaction of Amidated Acids with Heparin." Biopolymers. 67 2002: 41-48.

Kong, J., W. Sun, X. Wu, J. Deng, Z. Lu, Y. Lvov, R.Z.B. Desamero, H.A. Frank and J. F. Rusling. "Fast Reversible Electron Transfer for Photosynthetic Reaction Center from Wild Type Rhodobacter sphaeroides re-constituted in polycation sandwiched monolayer film." Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics. 48 1999: 101-107.

Kong, J., Z. Lu, R.Z.B. Desamero, H.A. Frank and J.F. Rusling. "Direct Electrochemistry of Cofactor Redox Sites in a Bacterial Photosynthetic Reaction Center Protein." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120 1998: 7371-7372.

Desamero, R.Z.B., V. Chynwat, R. Gebhard, I. van der Hoef, F.J. Jansen, J. Lugtenburg, D. Gosztola, M.R. Wasielewski, Agnes Cua, David F. Bocian and H.A. Frank. "The Mechanism of Energy Transfer from Carotenoids to Bacteriochlorophyll: Light-Harvesting by Carotenoids having Different Extents of -Electron Conjugation Incorporated into the B850 Antenna Complex from carotenoidless bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26.1." J. Phys. Chem. B. 102 1998: 8151-8162.

Frank, H.A., R.Z.B. Desamero, V. Chynwat, R. Gebhard, I. van der Hoef, F.J. Jansen, J. Lugtenburg, D. Gosztola and M.R. Wasielewski. "The Spectroscopic Properties of Spheroidene Analogs having Different Extents of -Electron Conjugation." J. Phys. Chem. 101 1997: 149-157.

Frank, H.A., V. Chynwat, R.Z.B. Desamero, R. Farhoosh, J.P. Erickson and J. Bautista. "On the Photochemical Properties of Carotenoids and their Role as Light-Harvesting Pigments in Photosynthesis." Pure Appl. Chem. 69 1997: 2117-2124.

Refereed Proceedings in Field Of Expertise

1) Vedad, J.D., A.A. Profit, and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Effect of hIAPP22-29 Based Peptide Constructs on the Amyloid Fibril Formation Propensity of Amylin." 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2014: .

2) Felsen, V.S., J. Tolentino-Collado, B. Hall, A.A. Profit and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Probing Aromatic Peptide Aggregation Using Spectroscopy." 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2014: .

3) Tolentino-Collado, J. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Characterization of Zinc-Citrate Complex in Aqueous Solutions Using Vibrational Spectroscopy." 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2014: .

4) Mohamed, M.S., E.-R. Mojica, and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Probing Phosphate-Metal Interactions Using Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)." 246th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2014: .

5) Lebron, P., E.-R. Mojica, and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Using Raman Spectroscopy to Demonstrate Phosphate-Metal Interactions." 246th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2013: .

6) Zhadin, N., K. Lodewyks, B. Nie, R. Desamero and R. Callender. "Dynamics of NADH Cofactor Binding to B. Stearothermophilus lactate dehydrogenase." 56th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 2012: .

7) Desamero, RZB, B. Nie, N. Zhadin, H. Deng and R. Callender. "Dynamics of conformational heterogeneity within the Michaelis Complex of lactate dehydrogenase." 55th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 2011: .

8) Adl, S. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Probing the role of Cys-78 in dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) using Raman Spectroscopy." 53rd Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 2009: .

9) Juszczak, L.J. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Extension of tryptophan dihedral angle-W3 band frequency relationship to a full rotation." 53rd Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 2009: .

10) Kang, J. and R.Z.B. Desamero. "Synthesis of 6-amino-2,3-dimethylpyrimido[4,5-e][1,2,4] triazine-8-one as an inhibitor of dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR)." 234th ACS National Meeting and Exposition. 2007: .

11) Gulotta, M., R. Desamero and R. Callender R.. "Probing the dynamics of glycerol-3-phosphate binding to triosephosphate isomerase in the presence of osmolytes." 49th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting. 2005: .

12) Rosa Patricia Rosales, Saida Bibi and Ruel Desamero. "Probing the interaction between proteins and some small molecules." ACS 230th National Meeting and Exposition. 2005: .

13) Shuyin Huang, Nazrul Khandaker and Ruel Desamero. "Characterization of geological materials using vibrational spectroscopy." Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America. 2004: .

14) Desamero, R.Z.B., S. Rozovsky, N. Zhadin, A. McDermott and R. Callender. "Ligand dependence and thermal activation of active site loop motion in triosephosphate isomerase." 47th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting. 2003: .

15) Deng, H., R.H. Callender, R.Z.B. Desamero, and N. Zhadin. "Fast dynamics in the kinetics of ligand binding." 45th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting. 2001: .

Presented Papers, Lectures, and Exhibitions and Performances

" Probing biomolecular structure and function with vibrational spectroscopy " June 2011: 2011 CUNY Structural Biology Workshop: molecules to machines.

" Probing enzyme binding and catalysis using vibrational spectroscopy and temperature-jump relaxation " March 2011: Queens College’s Departmental Seminar.

" Vibrational Spectroscopy and T-jump Relaxation Techniques " April 2009: Hofstra University’s Chemistry Departmental Colloquium.

" Advanced Techniques for Studying Biomolecular Systems " March 2006: Queensborough Community College Departmental Seminar.

" Vibrational Spectroscopy and T-jump Relaxation Techniques " November 2005: Brooklyn College Chemistry Departmental Colloquium.

" Probing Protein-Small Molecule Interactions Using Vibrational Spectroscopy " June 2005: CUNY Institute of Macromolecular Assemblies Spring Forum.

Professional Honors, Prizes, Fellowships

CUNY Fellowship Leave Award, York College: 2012 - 2013.

President's Award for Student Research Engagement, York College: 2012.

Presidential Award for Research and Scholarship, York College: 2010.

Charles E. Waring Memorial Award for Oustanding Performance in Chemistry, University of Connecticut: 1994.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, University of Connecticut: 1993.

Wenceslao Pangan Scholarship Grant, University of the Phillipines: 1986-1987.

Grants-In-Aid

National Institute of Health-AREA R15, Probing the role of helix-1 in amyloid formation by serum amyloid A. 6/16-5/19: $493,000.

National Institute of Health-MBRS SCORE SC3, Dihydropteridine reductase: Mechanism of enzyme action. 1/10 – 12/15: $468,224.

National Science Foundation-ATE Grant (co-PI), Pathways to chemical technology education and careers. 9/07 – 8/10: $896,350.

National Institute of Health-MARC T34, York College MARC U-STAR program. 6/08 – 5/10: $115,000.

National Institute of Health-MBRS SCORE S06, Dihydropteridine reductase: Mechanism of enzyme action. 6/06 – 12/09: $328,088.

CUNY Research Equipment Grant, Probing the dynamics of binding and catalysis in dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) using a mT-Jump stopped-flow device. 4/07 – 4/08: $40,000.

UNCF•Merck Science Initiative-Department Grant, Computer facility for performing molecular mechanics and ab initio calculations. 8/06: $10,000.

Offices Held In Professional Societies

Member, Sigma Xi the Scientific Research Society: since 2005.

Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science: since 2001.

Member, Biophysical Society: since 2000.

Member, American Chemical Society: since 1997.

Other Professional Activities and Public Service

Session Co-chair, 40th American Chemical Society Mid-Atlantic Research Meeting: 2008.

Reviewer, Research article submitted to the journal "Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters": .

Reviewer, Research article submitted to the journal "Journal of Physical Chemistry B": .

Reviewer, Research article submitted to the journal "Journal of Molecular Structure": .

Reviewer, Research article submitted to the journal "Spectrochemica Acta": .