Areas of Research
Our research focuses on novel nitrogen biochemistries with significance to neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, discovery of human therapeutics in bacteria, development of green chemistries, and bioremediation of environmental contaminants. We study these topics using the tools of mechanistic enzymology, protein engineering, and natural product biosynthesis.
Awards
UCF Champion of Undergraduate Research
Publications
- Vilbert, A.C.; Caranto, J.D.; Lancaster, K.M. The Lysine Cross-Link to Heme P460 Obviates NO-Dependent Histidine-Dissociation from Nitrosomonas europaea Cytochrome P460 {FeNO}7. Sci. 2018, Advance Article. http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2018/sc/c7sc03450d
- Weitz, A.C; Giri, N.; Caranto, J.D.; Kurtz, D.M., Jr.; Bominaar, E.L.; Hendrich, M.P. Spectroscopy and DFT calculations of a flavo-diiron enzyme implicate new diiron site structures, Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 12009–12019. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.7b06546
- Caranto, J.D.; Lancaster, K.M. Nitric oxide is an obligate bacterial nitrification intermediate produced by hydroxylamine oxidoreductase, Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2017, 114, 8217–8222. http://www.pnas.org/content/114/31/8217
- Caranto, J.D; Vilbert, A.C.; Lancaster, K.M. Nitrosomonas europaea cytochrome P460 is a direct link between nitrification and nitrous oxide emission, Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2016, 113, 14704–14709. http://www.pnas.org/content/113/51/14704
- Caranto, J.D.; Weitz, A.; Giri, N.; Hendrich, M.P.; Kurtz, D.M., Jr. A diferrous-dinitrosyl intermediate in the N2O-generating pathway of a deflavinated flavo-diiron protein, Biochemistry 2014, 53, 5631–5637. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/bi500836z
- Caranto, J.D.; Weitz, A.; Hendrich, M.P.; Kurtz, D.M., Jr. The nitric oxide reductase mechanism of flavo-diiron protein: Identification of active-site intermediates and products, Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 7981–7992. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja5022443
- Fang, H.; Caranto, J.D.; Mendoza, R.; Taylor A.B.; Hart, P.J.; Kurtz, D.M., Jr. Histidine ligand variants of a flavo-diiron protein: effects on structure and activities, Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2012, 17, 1231-1239. http://www.springerlink.com/content/4m588426u1345054/fulltext.pdf
- Caranto, J.D.; Gebhardt, L.L.; MacGowan, C.E.; Limberger, R.J.; Kurtz, D.M., Jr. Treponema denticola superoxide reductase: In vivo role, in vitro reactivities and a novel [Fe(Cys)4] site, Biochemistry, 2012, 51, 5601-5610. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi300667s
- Hayashi, T.; Caranto, J.D.; Matsumara, H.; Kurtz, D.M. Jr.; Moenne-Loccoz, P. Vibrational analysis of mononitrosyl complexes in hemerythrin and flavodiiron proteins: relevance to detoxifying NO reductase, Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 6878-6884. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ja301812p
- Hayashi, T.; Caranto, J.D.; Wampler, D.A.; Kurtz, D.M. Jr.; Moenne-Loccoz, P. Insights into the nitric oxide reductase mechanism of flavo-diiron proteins from flavin-free enzyme, Biochemistry 2010, 49, 7040-7049. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi100788y