Faculty Profiles

Alvin L. Crumbliss
Alvin L. Crumbliss
University Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus
Office: 
2104 French Family Science Center, Box 90346, Durham, NC 27708-0354
Phone: 
(919) 660-1540
alvin.crumbliss@duke.edu
http://sites.duke.edu/crumbliss/
Research Interests: 

Dr. Crumbliss is interested in the function, reactivity and control of transition metals in biological systems. A major emphasis is investigations related to the biochemistry of iron. Through application of in vitro and ex vivo biophysical techniques the Crumbliss group is investigating iron trafficking mediated by proteins and low molecular weight iron carriers (siderophores) in bacterial and mammalian cells. This research is relevant to understanding iron bioavailability, oxidative stress, and the relationship between iron and human health and disease. The redox behavior of various native, mutant and engineered hemoglobins is also under investigation with respect to their role in oxidative stress, signaling and cooperative oxygen transport, and potential application as cell free blood substitutes.

Overview

Education:

Ph.D., Northwestern University 1968

B.A., Knox College 1964

Research Areas:
Biomolecular Structure and Function, Biological, Inorganic

Gebhardt, Peter, et al. “Synthesis and biological activity of saccharide based lipophilic siderophore mimetics as potential growth promoters for mycobacteria.” Biometals : An International Journal on the Role of Metal Ions in Biology, Biochemistry, and Medicine, vol. 21, no. 1, Feb. 2008, pp. 41–51. Epmc, doi:10.1007/s10534-007-9091-x. Full Text

Heymann, J. J., et al. “Kinetics and Mechanism of Exogenous Anion Exchange in FeFbpA-NTA: Periplasmic Anion Lability and a Model for Acquisition Through Non-transferrin Bound Iron Sources (Submitted).” Biochemistry, 2008.

Tristani, E. M., et al. “General Chemistry and the NO2 / N2O4 System: It’s Not as Simple as it Appears (and That Can Make it an Enrichment Tool) (Submitted).” J. Chem. Ed., 2008.

Dhungana, Suraj, et al. “Iron chelation equilibria, redox, and siderophore activity of a saccharide platform ferrichrome analogue.” Inorganic Chemistry, vol. 46, no. 20, Oct. 2007, pp. 8362–71. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ic070158l. Full Text

Remington, Nicole, et al. “Genetic diversity of coastal bottlenose dolphins revealed by structurally and functionally diverse hemoglobins.” Gene, vol. 398, no. 1–2, Aug. 2007, pp. 123–31. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.gene.2007.02.050. Full Text

Heymann, J. J., et al. “Sulfate as a synergistic anion facilitating iron binding by the bacterial transferrin FbpA: the origins and effects of anion promiscuity.” Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 129, no. 31, Aug. 2007, pp. 9704–12. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ja0709268. Full Text

Bonaventura, Celia, et al. “Allosteric effects on oxidative and nitrosative reactions of cell-free hemoglobins.” Iubmb Life, vol. 59, no. 8–9, Aug. 2007, pp. 498–505. Epmc, doi:10.1080/15216540601188546. Full Text

Anderson, Damon S., et al. “The Haemophilus influenzae hFbpABC Fe3+ transporter: analysis of the membrane permease and development of a gallium-based screen for mutants.” Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 189, no. 14, July 2007, pp. 5130–41. Epmc, doi:10.1128/jb.00145-07. Full Text

Anderson, D. S., et al. “The Haemophilus influenzae hFbpABC Fe3+ Transporter: Analysis of the Membrane Permease and Development of a Mutational Screen Based on Resistance to Gallium.” J. Bacteriology, vol. 189, 2007.

Dhungana, S., et al. “Iron Coordination Properties of a Saccharide Platform Ferrichrome Analogue.” Inorg. Chem., vol. 46, 2007.

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