JOHN STEVEN OLSON

Title: Dorothy and Ralph Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Mailing Address: Rice University MS 140, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005-1892 E-mail: olson@rice.edu Phone contacts: 1-713-348-4762 (office) or -4861 (laboratory); Fax: 1-713-348-5154

EDUCATION:

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, B.S. (Chemistry), 1968
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, Ph.D. (Biochemistry), 1972
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Postdoctoral studies, 1973

HONORS:

Phi Lambda Upsilon Scholarship Award (University of Illinois)
James Scholar (University of Illinois)
Bronze Tablet (University of Illinois)
Co-Salutatorian (University of Illinois, 1968)
Dupont Teaching Award (Cornell University, 1970)
National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship (Cornell University, 1968-1972)
National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (University of Michigan, 1972-1973)
Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1977)
Amoco Teaching Award at Rice University (1995)
Elected American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow (1997)
George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching at Rice University (1998)
George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching at Rice University (2000)
George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching at Rice University (2001)
Biophysical Society Emily M. Gray Award for significant contributions to education in Biophysics (2007)

MAJOR RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Application of rapid reaction techniques to biophysical and biochemical problems; protein engineering by recombinant DNA technology; structural (X-ray, IR, and NMR) and functional studies of ligand binding to hemoglobins, myoglobins, and model heme compounds; design of heme protein-based blood substitutes; red blood cell physiology; biosynthesis of heme and hemoglobin; gas transport and exchange in capillaries.

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Dorothy and Ralph Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, 1997-present

Director, Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Pre-doctoral Training Program (NIH sponsored training grant- Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, University of Houston, UT Medical School Houston, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, and UT Medical Branch Galveston), 1998-2003

Director, Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry Pre-doctoral Training Program (NIH sponsored training grant- Rice Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering Departments), 1984-1989

Chairman of Biochemistry, Rice University, 1984-1987

Professor of Biochemistry, Rice University, 1983-present

Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Rice University, 1977-1983

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Rice University, 1973-1977

National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, 1972-1973 (V. Massey and G. Palmer)

National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellow, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, 1968-1972 (Q. H. Gibson)

Undergraduate Research Student, Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, 1967-1968 (G. Weber)

PUBLICATIONS (since 2004):

Aranda, R., Worley, C. E., Liu, M., Bitto, E., Cates, M. S., Olson, J. S., Lei, B., and Phillips, G. N. Jr.  Bis-methionyl coordination and heme stacking in the crystal structure of the heme-binding domain of the streptococcal cell surface protein Shp J. Mol. Biol. 374, 374-83 (2007). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17920629

Ran, Y., Zhu, H.,  Liu, M., Fabian, M., Olson, J. S., Aranda, R. IV., Phillips, G. N., Jr., Dooley, D. M., and Lei, B.  Bis-Methionine Coordination in Shp Facilitates Rapid Heme Transfer to HtsA of the HtsABC Transporter in a Plug-in Mechanism. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 31380-8 (2007). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17699155

Olson, J. S., and Ghosh, A, "Mammalian Myoglobin as a Model for Understanding Ligand Affinities and Discrimination in Heme Proteins," Chapter 1, The Smallest Biomolecules: Perspectives on Heme-Diatomic Interactions (Ed. Abhik Ghosh) Elsevier, London, in press (2007).

Mocny, J. C., Olson, J. S., and Connell, T. D. Passively released heme from hemoglobin and myoglobin is a potential source of nutrient iron for  Bordetella bronchiseptica.  Infection & Immunity, 75, 4857-66 (2007). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17664260

Olson, J. S., Soman, J., and Phillips, G. N. Jr.  Ligand Pathways in Myoglobin: A Review of Trp Cavity Mutations, IUBMB  Life 59, 552-562 (2007). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17701550

Deng, P., Nienhaus K., Palladino, P., Olson J. S., Blouin. G., Moens, L., Dewilde, S., Geuens, E., and Nienhaus, G. U. Transient Ligand Docking Sites in Cerebratulus lacteus Mini-Hemoglobin, Gene 398, 208-223 (2007) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17531406

Zhou, S., Olson, J. S., Fabian, M., Weiss, M. J., and Gow, A. J. Biochemical fates of alpha hemoglobin bound to alpha hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 32611-8 (2006).  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16901899

Nygaard, T. K., Blouin, G. C., Liu, M., Fukumura, M., Olson, J. S., Fabian, M., Dooley, D. M., and Lei, B., The Mechanism of Heme Transfer from the Streptococcal Cell Surface Protein Shp to HtsA of the HtsABC Transporter J. Biol. Chem., 281, 20761-71 (2006). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16717094

Gardner, P.A., Gardner, A.M., Brashear, W.T., Suzuki, T., Hvitved, A.N., Setchell, K.D.R., and Olson, J.S., Hemoglobins Deoxygenate NO with High Fidelity, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 100, 542-550 (2006). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16439024

Goldbeck, R.A., Bhaskaran, S., Ortega, C., Mendoza, J., Olson, J. Soman, J., Kliger, D.S., and Esquerra, R.M., Water and Ligand Entry in Myoglobin: Assessing the Speed and Extent of Heme Pocket Hydration after CO Photodissociation, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 103, 1254-1259 (2006). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16432219

Ionascu, D., Gruis, F., Ye, X., Yu, A., Rosca, F., Beck, C., Demidov, A., Olson, J.S., and Champion, P.M., Temperature Dependent Studies of NO Recombination to Heme and Heme Proteins, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 127, 16921-16934 (2005). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16316238

Olson, J. S. and Maillett, D. H Designing Recombinant Hemoglobin for Use as a Blood Substitute, Chapter 31 in Blood Substitutes (Robert Winslow, Kim D. Vandegriff, Eds.) Elsevier, London, UK (2005), pp. 354-374.

Dantsker, D., Roche, C., Samuni, U., Blouin, G., Olson, J.S., and Friedman, J., The Position 68(E11) Side Chain in Myoglobin Regulates Ligand Capture Bond Formation with the Heme Iron, and Internal Movement into the Xe Cavities, J. Biol. Chem., 280, 38740-38755 (2005). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16155005

Miranda, J.J.L., Maillett, D.H., Soman, J., and Olson, J.S., Thermoglobin, Oxygen-Avid Hemoglobin in a Eubacterial Hyperthermophile, J. Biol. Chem., 280, 36754-36761 (2005). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=16135523

Nienhaus, K., Olson, J.S., Franzen, S., and Nienhaus, G.U., The Origin of Stark Splitting in the Initial Photoproduct State of MbCO, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 127, 40-42 (2005). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15631438

Zhang, W., Olson, J.S., and Phillips, G.N., Jr.. Biophysical, Kinetic Characterization, and Crystallization of HemAT: An Aerotaxis Transducer from Bacillus subtilis, Biophys. J., 88, 2801-2814 (2005).  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15653746

Geuens, E., Dewilde, S., Hoogewijs, D., Pesce, A., Nienhaus, K., Olson, J.S., Vanfleteren, J., Bolognesi, M.. and Moens, L., Nerve Hemoglobins in Invertebrates, IUBMB Journal, 56, 653-664 (2004).  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15804828

Schotte, F., Soman, J., Olson, J.S., Wulff, M., and Anfinrud, P.A., Picosecond Time-Resolved X-ray Crystallography: Probing Protein Function in Real Time, J. Biol. Struct., 147, 235-246 (2004). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15450293

Pesce, A., Nardini, M., Ascenzi, P., Geuens, E., Dewilde, S., Moens, L., Bolognesi, M., Riggs, A.F., Hale, A., Deng, P., Nienhaus, G.U., Olson, J.S., and Nienhaus, K., ThrE11 Regulates O2 Affinity in Cerebratulus lacteus Minihemoglobin, J. Biol. Chem., 279, 33662-33672 (2004).  http://www.ncbi.nlmnih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15161908

Kundu, S., Blouin, G.C., Premer, S.A., Sarath, G., Olson, J.S., and Hargrove, M.S., TyrB10 Inhibits Stabilization of Bound CO and O2 in Soybean Leghemoglobin, Biochemistry, 43, 6241-6252 (2004). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15147208

Unno, M., Matsui, T., Chu, G.C., Couture, M., Yoshida, T., Rousseau, D.L., Olson, J.S., and Ikeda-Saito, M., Crystal Structure of the Dioxygen-bound Heme Oxygenase from Corynebacterium diphtheriae: Implications for Heme Oxygenase Function, J. Biol. Chem., 279, 21055-21061 (2004). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=14966119

Puranik, M., Nielsen, S.B., Youn, H., Bourassa, J.L., Case, M.A., Hvitved, A.N., Tengroth, C., Balakrishnan, G., Thorsteinsson, M.V., Olson, J.S., Roberts, G.P., Groves, J.T., McLendon, G.L., and Spiro, T.G., Dynamics of Carbon Monoxide Binding to the CooA Protein, J. Biol. Chem., 279, 21096-21108 (2004). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=14990568

Olson, J.S., Foley, E.W., Rogge, C., Tsai, A.-L., Doyle, M.P., and Lemon, D.D., NO Savenging and the Hypertensive Effect of Hb-based Blood Substitutes, Free Radical Biol. Med., 36, 685-697 (2004). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=14990349 

PATENTS

a. Issued:

1. U.S. Patent 6,022,849 issued 1999, entitled "Mutant Recombinant Hemoglobins containing Heme Pocket Mutations", Inventors: J. S. Olson (Rice University based on studies supported by GM 35649 and HL 47020), J. Aitken and A. Mathews (Somatogen, Inc.), K. Nagai (MRC, Cambridge, U.K).

2. U.S. Patent 6,114,505 issued 2000, entitled " Hemoglobin Mutants That Reduce Heme Loss" Docket Number 251/US, submitted October 23, 1995 - Inventors: J. S. Olson, T. L. Whitaker, Mark S. Hargrove (all Rice University and based primarily on studies from HL47020).

3. U.S. Patent 6,455,676, issued September 2002 entitled “Hemoglobin Mutants with Increased Soluble Expression And/Or Reduced Nitric Oxide Scavenging,” Docket Number 351PCT, submitted September 5, 1997 - co-inventors D. Doherty, D. Lemon (Somatogen/Baxter Hemoglobin Therapeutics) and J. S. Olson (Rice University based on studies supported by GM 35649 and HL 47020).

b. Under review:

4. Patent Application PCT/US2005/032627 - Provisional patent submitted September 15, 2004, and complete application submitted September 15, 2005: "Increasing the Stability of Recombinant Adult Human Apohemoglobin (apo-rHb) by Amino Acid Replacements Based on Sequence Comparisons with Sperm Whale Hemoglobin ± and ? genes and Human Fetal Hemoglobin ˇ genes;" Co-inventors: John S. Olson and George N. Phillips, Jr. (U. Wisconsin); Rice TTO number 25002.

5. Patent Application PCT/US2005/033028 - Provisional patent submitted September 15, 2004, and complete application submitted September 15, 2005: "Enhancing Recombinant Hemoglobin (rHb) Production by Co-expression with Alpha Hemoglobin Stabilizing Protein (AHSP);" Co-inventors: John S. Olson and Mitchell J. Weiss (U. Pennsylvania, CHOP); Rice TTO number 25001

6. Patent Application PCT/US2005/033027 - Provisional patent submitted September 15, 2004, and complete application submitted September 15, 2005: "Increasing Hemoglobin Production in E. coli by Co-Expression with the Heme Utilization Genes (hug) From Plesiomonas shigelloides and other Intestinal Pathogens;" Co-inventors: John S. Olson and Douglas P. Henderson (UT Permian Basin), Rice TTO number 24003

CURRENT RESEARCH SUPPORT (2008):

1. Olson, J.S. (principal investigator), "Functional Properties of Hemoglobin and Myoglobins," National Institutes of Health GM 35649-33 to 37: 9/1/07 to 8/31/11. This grant has had continuous funding since 1973.

2. Olson, J.S. (principal investigator), "The Design of Heme-Protein Based Blood Substitutes": National Institutes of Health HL 47020-14A2 to 19: 6/01/2006 to 5/31/2011.

3. Olson, J.S. (principal investigator), "Chemical Mechanisms of Ligand Binding to Heme Proteins," Grant C-612 from the Robert A. Welch Foundation (33 consecutive years): 2005-2008. This grant has had continuous funding since 1974.

COMPLETED RESEARCH GRANTS (since 1995):

1. Olson, J. S. (principal investigator) “Collaboration Agreement with Baxter Hemoglobin Therapeutics, Inc (formerly Somatogen, Inc.)” Support for salary of Instructor and instrumentation Specialist for the Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics at Rice (Dr. J. Nichols and Dr. S. Cates): Period 5/16/1996 to 5/15/2002.

2. Olson, J. S. (principal investigator) “Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Pre-doctoral Training Program” NIGMS T32 (GM 08280, Years 11-15): Period 7/01/98 to 6/30/03. This program provides pre-doctoral education and research training in molecular biophysics to graduate students from Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, the University of Houston, the University of Texas Medical School Houston, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, and The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The training grant was renewed July 1, 2003, with Theodore Wensel (Baylor College of Medicine) as the Program Director and is on-going.

3. Olson, J. S. (principal investigator) “U. S. - Japan Seminar: Molecular Dynamics of Ligand Binding to Myoglobins and Hemoglobins," NSF sponsored. (1996-1997)

4. Gibson, Q. H. (principal investigator); Olson J. S., and Phillips, G. N. Jr. (co-investigators) "Kinetics of Enzymes and Hemoglobin-Ligand Reactions," NIH sponsored (Grant transferred from Cornell University with Gibson's move to Rice University). (1996-1998).

5. Phillips, G. N., Jr. (principal investigator), Olson, J.S. (co-investigator) "Synthetic Heme Co-Factors in Engineered Globins as Physiological Ligand Biosensors." Texas Advanced Technology Program. (1996-1998).

Back to the Olson Lab web page
Last Modified 13 December 2007