College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Kwaku Dayie

Associate Professor

Personal Data

Office Phone: 301-405-3165
Office Address: 2117
Email: dayie@umd.edu
URL: http://www2.chem.umd.edu/groups/dayie/

Education

  • B.A., Physics with Honors, 1990, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York
  • Ph.D., Biophysics, 1996, Harvard University, Cambridge MA (w. G. Wagner)
  • Postdoctoral, 1998, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (w. JR Williamson)
  • Postdoctoral, 2000, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA (w. JR Williamson)

Professional Experience

  • Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, 2008-present
  • Assistant Staff, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 2000-2008
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biochemistry Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 2001-2008
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 2002-2008

Research Interests

Structure, interactions, dynamics, and function of RNA complexes involved in catalysis and gene regulation; chemical biological methods of labeling RNAs; RNA-Drug interactions, NMR methods development for large macromolecules

Professional Societies

American Chemical Society; American Association for the Advancement of Science; National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers; RNA Society

Major Recognitions and Honors

  • Henry C. Welcome Fellowship, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, (2008)
  • National Technical Association Nsoroma Technology Award (2007)
  • Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship (1998)
  • Full Membership of Harvard-Radcliffe Sigma-Xi Scientific Research Society (1997)
  • Graduate Travel Award to Present at 37th Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1996)
  • Southworth Prize in Physics for Graduate with Highest GPA in Physics (1990)
  • Competitive International Scholarship to Study at the United World College of the Atlantic, South Wales, UK (1984-1986);
  • Valedictorian, Achimota Secondary School (1984)

Significant Professional Service and Activities

Journals: Current Editorial Boards: The Open Magnetic Resonance Journal. Foundations: National Science Foundation Review Panelist (2005-2006); American Heart Association Review Panelist (2004-2005); Ad Hoc Reviewer for ACS Petroleum Research Fund, U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Research Corporation, Austrian Science Fund. Grand Awards Judge for the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering fair (ISEF) of Top High School Science and Engineering Students from Around the World in Cleveland (May 11-17 2003)

Students Mentored

Currently mentoring 6 graduate students.Two high-school students, one undergraduate student, and ten postdoctoral associates

Catalysis and Gene Regulation by RNA & NMR of very Large RNAs

I. Research Focus: Our group is focused on characterizing the structure, dynamics, and function of ribonucleic acids (RNAs) involved in fundamental cellular processes such as catalysis (e.g. splicing by group II introns) and regulation of gene expression (e.g. riboswitches). Splicing defects are implicated in human diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Cystic Fibrosis, and various cancers; riboswitches are recognized as antibacterial drug targets. Characterizing these RNAs will serve as a guide to the rational design of novel RNA-based drugs.

II. Methodological Approach: We use primarily very high resolution multi-dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy supplemented by other biophysical tools (X-ray, Fluorescence and Raman Spectroscopies) and chemical biological methods (organic and enzymatic synthesis) to probe the molecular basis of RNA recognition (See review on Key Labeling Technologies to Tackle Sizeable Problems in RNA Structural Biology, Dayie KT, 2008, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 9, 1214-1240).

III. Development of New Technologies: Large RNAs pose two serious problems for NMR characterization: severe overlap and rapid signal decay. To date both problems have limited NMR structures of RNA to ~20 kDa. To address these problems, we are developing chemical and biochemical approaches to label nucleotides. By incorporating non-radioactive isotopes and fluorescent dyes at defined sites within RNA, we can easily probe the structure, dynamics and function of large RNAs (See Dayie et al. 1998, J. Magn. Reson. 130: 97-101; Gumbs et al., 2006, RNA, 12: 1693-1707; Dayie et al., 2007, Anal. Biochem. 362:278-80). We are also developing new NMR pulse sequences that make use of these new labels to determine the structures of larger (> 20 kDA) RNAs as shown in these references: Dayie KT, 2005, J. Biomol NMR 32: 129-139 & Gumbs et al., 2006, RNA, 12: 1693-1707.

IV. Applications to Biological Problems: An emerging tenet of RNA biophysics is that flexibility is intrinsically a necessary part of RNA biomolecular structure and function. Using NMR relaxation measurements and newly developed software for RNA dynamic analysis (See Eldho & Dayie, 2007, J. Mol. Biol. 365:930-944), we have shown that dynamics is likely important for the catalytic mechanism of splicing of the Group II Intron ribozyme. (See Eldho & Dayie, 2007, J. Mol. Biol. 365:930-944; Dayie KT, 2008, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 9, 1214-1240; Dayie and Padgett, 2008, RNA, 14:1-7).

We are currently applying these new technologies to tackling the problem of dynamics in molecular recognition in other systems. For example, we are interested in how metabolite binding transduces signal from the aptamer ligand binding domain to the expression platform of a riboswitch to regulate gene expression.