Laura O Van Dorn

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Journals/Publications

• Van Dorn, L., & Sanov, A. (2024). A density-matrix adaptation of the Hückel method to weak covalent networks. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 26(7), 5879-5894. doi:10.1039/d3cp05697j
• Van, D., Borowski, S. C., & Lichtenberger, D. L. (2015). From gas-phase ionization energies to solution oxidation potentials: Dimolybdenum tetraformamidinate paddlewheel complexes. INORGANICA CHIMICA ACTA, 424, 316-321.
• Anderson, W. J., Van, D., Ingram, W. M., & Cordes, M. (2011). Evolutionary bridges to new protein folds: design of C-terminal Cro protein chameleon sequences. PROTEIN ENGINEERING DESIGN & SELECTION, 24(9), 765-771.
• Cotton, F. A., Donahue, J. P., Gruhn, N. E., Lichtenberger, D. L., Murillo, C. A., Timmons, D. J., Van Dorn, L. O., Villagran, D., & Wang, X. P. (2006). Facilitating access to the most easily ionized molecule: an improved synthesis of the key intermediate, W-2(hpp)(4)Cl-2, and related compounds. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, 45(1), 201-213.
• Cotton, F. A., Durivage, J. C., Gruhn, N. E., Lichtenberger, D. L., Murillo, C. A., Van, D., & Wilkinson, C. C. (2006). Photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT calculations of easily ionized quadruply bonded Mo-2(4+) compounds and their bicyclic guanidinate precursors. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, 110(40), 19793-19798.
• Newlove, T., Atkinson, K. R., Dorn, L. O., & Cordes, M. H. (2006). A trade between similar but nonequivalent intrasubunit and intersubunit contacts in Cro dimer evolution.. Biochemistry, 45(20), 6379-91. doi:10.1021/bi052541c
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  The homodimeric lambda Cro protein has a "ball-and-socket" interface that includes insertion of an aromatic side chain, Phe 58, from each subunit into a cavity in the hydrophobic core of the other subunit. This overlap between the subunit core and dimer interface hypothetically explains the strong dimerization and weak monomer stability of lambda Cro in comparison to homologues. According to a model developed here and in a previous study [LeFevre, K. R., and Cordes, M. H. (2003) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100, 2345-2350], the socket cavity evolved in part by replacement of a buried tryptophan in an ancestral stable monomer with a smaller side chain (Ala 33 in lambda Cro). The resulting core defect was in effect repaired by insertion of a different side chain (Phe 58) from a second subunit, generating the ball and socket. Consistent with such an evolutionary trade between intrasubunit and intersubunit interactions, we showed in the previous study that restoration of the ancestral Trp 33 in lambda Cro stabilized the monomer and reduced the extent of dimerization. Here, we report the solution structure of a stable lambda Cro monomer containing the Ala33Trp mutation, which confirms that the restored tryptophan fulfills its ancestral role as a core side chain, filling part of the socket cavity occupied by Phe 58 in the wild-type dimer. The structure also reveals, however, that the cavity is not completely filled by Trp 33, suggesting that its formation could have involved multiple mutations that reduced side chain volume. We offer suggestive evidence of a role of mutations at a second position.
• Van Dorn, L. O., Newlove, T., Chang, S., Ingram, W. M., & Cordes, M. H. (2006). Relationship between Sequence Determinants of Stability for Two Natural Homologous Proteins with Different Folds. Biochemistry, 45(35), 10542-10553. doi:10.1021/bi060853p
• Van, D., Newlove, T., Chang, S., Ingram, W. M., & Cordes, M. (2006). Relationship between sequence determinants of stability for two natural homologous proteins with different folds. BIOCHEMISTRY, 45(35), 10542-10553.
• Cotton, F. A., Lichtenberger, D. L., Murillo, C. A., Van Dorn, L. O., & Wilkinson, C. C. (2004). Guanidinates: A new class of ligands for dimetal units with multiple metal-metal bonds.. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 227, U1321-U1321.
• Gruhn, N. E., Cotton, F. A., Huang, P. L., Lichtenberger, D. L., Murillo, C. A., Van Dorn, L. O., & Wilkinson, C. C. (2003). "The big easy": A molecule that ionizes more readily than cesium. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 225, U24-U24.
• Brédas, J., Cornil, J., Dorn, L. O., Dubois, P., Eynde, J. V., Gruhn, N. E., Haverbeke, Y. V., Leising, G., Michel, A., Pascal, L., Rant, U., & Zojer, E. (2002). Synthesis and Characterization of Novel para- and meta-Phenylenevinylene Derivatives: Fine Tuning of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Conjugated Materials. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. doi:10.1021/jp025748d
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  We report the synthesis of novel phenylenevinylene derivatives that allow for the introduction of meta versus para connections on the phenylene rings, as well as the incorporation of nitrogen atoms within the conjugated backbone and the attachment of electroactive substituents. We assess the impact of the various derivatization schemes on the electronic and optical properties by means of gas-phase ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and optical absorption and emission measurements; the evolution of the experimental data is further supported by the results of quantum-chemical calculations. We demonstrate that the electronic and optical properties of phenylenevinylene chains, and by extension those of many conjugated materials, can be tuned over a large energy range by a tailored design of the molecular structures.
• Cotton, F. A., Gruhn, N. E., Gu, J. D., Huang, P., Lichtenberger, D. L., Murillo, C. A., Van Dorn, L. O., & Wilkinson, C. C. (2002). Closed-shell molecules that ionize more readily than cesium. SCIENCE, 298(5600), 1971-1974.
• Van Dorn, L. O., Lichtenberger, D. L., & Gruhn, N. E. (2001). Photoelectron spectroscopy of substituted Rh-2(form)(4) complexes: Electronic influences upon gas-phase ionizations.. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 221, U655-U655.