Rue holds a special place among the graduate students of the Goodwin
lab. She was the first to declare her intention to join the
group, making her the first of the Original Three (Rue
Baker, Neil Varnado, and Yongjiang Li). She received her
Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Troy State University
in Troy, Alabama. Prior to her joining the Goodwin laboratory,
Rue served as a Research Assistant in the Cancer Research and Organ
Transplantation Research Centers at the University of Alabama,
Birmingham. Rue's project centered on evaluating the role of
the apparently "inactive" C-terminal domain in the function of
catalase-peroxidases. Her work demonstrated that though this
domain carries no active site or apparent activity, its presence is
absolutely essential for catalase-peroxidase function. In
particular, without its C-terminal domain, the N-terminal domain
active site allows the distal histidine (His106) to coordinate
directly to the heme iron. This interupts the ability of
His106 to act as a general base in catalysis and blocks access of
hydrogen peroxide and other ligands to the heme iron. In her
time here, Rue was given an Auburn University College of Sciences
and Mathematics Travel Award, an Auburn University Graduate Student
Travel Award, and an American Chemical Society, Auburn Section
Travel Award. She also served as the President of the
Chemistry Student Association at Auburn. The title of her
doctoral dissertation was "Roles
of an 'inactive' domain in catalase-peroxidase catalysis:
Modulation of active site architecture and function by gene
duplication".
Abstracts and Publications
Baker, R. D., Cook, C. O., and Goodwin D. C. 2006.
Catalase-peroxidase active site restructuring by a distant and
'inactive' domain. Biochemistry 45, 7113-7121.
Goodwin, D. C., Cook, C. O., Baker, R. D. 2006.
Modulation of catalase-peroxidase active site structure and
catalysis by distant protein structures. American Chemical
Society, 231st National Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
Cook, C. O., Baker, R., and Goodwin, D. C. 2006.
Function of a gene-duplicated domain in catalase-peroxidase
structure and activity. American Chemical Society, 231st
National Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
Baker, R. D., Cook, C. O., and Goodwin D. C. 2004.
Essential contribution of the C-terminal domain to the
structure of the catalase-peroxidase active site. Amer.
Chem. Soc. Southeast Regional Meeting, Research Triangle Park,
NC.
Cook, C. O., Baker, R. D., and Goodwin, D. C. 2004.
Catalase-peroxidase active site restructuring by a distant and
"inactive" domain. Amer. Chem. Soc. Southeast Regional
Meeting, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Laband, K. A., Baker, R. D., and Goodwin, D. C. 2004.
Contributions of an interdomain ion pair to the bifunctional
properties of catalase-peroxidases. Amer. Chem. Soc.
Southeast Regional Meeting, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Goodwin, D. C., Baker, R. D., Cook, C. O., and Laband, K. A. 2004.
Integral Involvement of an “Inactive” Domain in
Catalase-Peroxidase Structure and Catalysis. Enzymes,
Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways Gordon Conference, Meriden,
NH.
Baker, R. D., Cook, C. O., and Goodwin D. C. 2004. Properties
of catalase-peroxidase lacking its C-terminal domain. Biochem.
Biophys. Res. Comm. 320, 833-839.
Baker, R. D., and Goodwin D. C. 2003. Insight into the
role of the C-terminal domain in catalase-peroxidase function.
Amer.
Chem. Soc. Southeast Regional Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
Goodwin, D. C., Baker, R. D., Varnado, C. L., and Li, Y. 2003.
Structural requirements for the hemoprotein-dependent
decomposition of hydroperoxides: lessons from the
catalase-peroxidases. Amer. Chem. Soc. Southeast
Regional Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
Baker, R. D., and Goodwin, D. C. 2003. Essential role of
the C-terminal domain in catalase-peroxidase function. Amer.
Chem.
Soc. 226th National Meeting, New York, NY.
Goodwin, D. C., Baker, R. D., and Li, Y. 2003. Protein
structural contributions to the unique catalytic properties of
catalase-peroxidases. Amer. Chem. Soc. 226th National
Meeting, New York, NY.
Goodwin, D. C., Baker, R. D., and Li, Y. 2003. Protein
structural contributions to the unique catalytic properties of
catalase-peroxidases. Enzymes, Coenzymes, and Metabolic
Pathways Gordon Conference, Meriden, NH.
Baker, R., Li, Y., and Goodwin D. 2002. Selective
elimination of catalase activity from catalase-peroxidase by
deletion mutagenesis. Am. Chem. Soc. Southeast Regional
Meeting, Charleston, SC.
Goodwin, D. C., Li, Y., Baker, R. D. 2002. Selective
elimination of catalase activity from catalase-peroxidases by
deletion mutagenesis. Enzymes, Coenzymes, and Metabolic
Pathways Gordon Conference, Meriden, NH.