Often the two-dimensional version of cells littering biology books label the basic blocks of life in a color-by-number style. The nucleus is blue. The mitochondria are red. The ribosomes are green. Breaking it down in this manner simplifies the organization and allows students to concentrate on function rather than the miniscule differences in shape.

Like the genes residing inside the blue nucleus’ DNA, the amino acids of the green ribosomes also enclose important information.

When scientists decoded the human genome it was an incredible accomplishment, professor Alexander Dieters pointed out, but the scientific community still does not understand a large portion of the genes’ functions — which is the same case for amino acids in proteins.

Dieters, a professor of organic chemistry, has used his expertise to assist in isolating amino acid and gene function in his post-doctoral work and as an assistant professor at N.C. State.

On June 19, 2006, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published Dieters research with Daniel Summerer, of the Scripps Research Institute, relaying a new way to mark amino acid function through an unnatural florescent amino acid.

“All proteins consist of 20 amino acids,” Dieters explained. “A real powerful tool [to understand amino acid function] would be to incorporate an unnatural factor like a 21st amino acid.”

And that is what Dieters and his associates at Scripps did, creating another amino acid florescent in color to mark the chain being studied. Once the new acid was in place, Dieters’ team watched the way proteins bend.

Protein marking is not a new concept; previously the Green Florescent Protein from jellyfish was used. But because GFP is a protein and not an amino acid, it is much larger and limited in its placement on the protein. As Tracey Peake reported in a NCSU news release, the size of the label can interfere with research by altering the structure or function of the marked protein.

The real breakthrough discovered is how to connect the new amino acid with the existing chain. They did this by manipulating yeast genes to include the new amino acid and then synthesizing it in a lab.

“The technique we devised for incorporating this florophore will allow researchers a much more effective way to study the functions of proteins within living cells,” Dieters said to Peake. “Scientists will have much more control over the location of the florescent label within the protein, lending a higher degree of precision to their research.”

This research all took place before Dieters came to NCSU in 2004 and he switched his focus onto working with light and genes. He wants to create a tool using light to control a gene’s function.

Even though proteins and genes are completely separate things, when working with them scientists and chemists use the terms interchangeably because the components are so analogous, Dieters explained. So essentially the projects he has dedicated himself to follow linear paths.

Controlling genes for Dieters “is like the next level,” he said. “By controlling them you can also study them.”

The first step to wizarding over genes is installing photo sensitive protein groups on RNA. The proteins are small modules allowed to control catalytic function of the RNA, creating the ability for light to stop gene function.

Dieters and professor Jeff Yoder have already achieved the effect on a small scale and have moved to working with zebra fish. “It will be very cool to be able to turn off a gene in only an eye or a fin,” Dieters said.

The zebra fish are on the receiving end of the experimentation because it is “easiest to inject into fish embryos — typically regardless of RNA or DNA,” Dieters said.

The implications of this new technology are extremely widespread. Once it is mastered it can potentially change the courses of lives, destroying diseases and birth defects. Dieters and Yoder have already received an internal grant from the University and one from the March of Dimes.

Dieters professorship at NCSU not only allows him to continue exploring the chemistry of carbon based organisms, he also has the ability to pass his knowledge to students.

“[Chemistry] is like a language. You can learn the functions, the terms, and then use it to create things like new sentences,” Dieters said. “It corresponds to grammar — once students learn the terms they can read schemes like reading the newspaper. They can build new routes like writing a sentence.”