X-ray Diffraction Laboratory Upgrade

该奖项支持普渡大学用于研究生物大分子单晶的x射线衍射实验室的能力和可靠性的改进。在此支持下获得的设备将用于旨在确定蛋白质，RNA分子和蛋白质-核酸复合物的三维晶体结构的研究。这种结构的知识是必不可少的分子水平的理解生物大分子如何在各种过程中的功能。将获得三种类型的设备：一种新的衍射仪器，它将提高吞吐量，并通过提供更单色和更强的x射线束，这将有助于研究非常大的大分子。这种新仪器将使速冻晶体保存在冷冻状态，以供以后的衍射实验使用。现有衍射仪器的一种新的光学系统将提高x射线束的强度和质量，允许比现在更精确的测量和使用更小的晶体。最后研制出一种新型的微分光光度计，用于监测酶促反应和测量晶体大分子的配体结合。该奖项为当代生物学最重要的领域之一的全国领先学术实验室之一提供了改进的基础设施。

This award supports improvements in the capability and reliability of the X-ray diffraction laboratory used for study of single crystals of biological macromolecules at Purdue University. The equipment to be obtained with this support will be used for in research aimed at determination of the three-dimensional crystal structures of proteins, RNA molecules, and of protein-nucleic acid complexes. Knowledge of such structures are essential to molecular level understanding of how biological macromolecules function in a variety of processes. Three types of equipment will be obtained: a new diffraction instrument that will improve throughput and, by providing a more monochromatic and intense X-ray beam, that will facilitate the study of very large macromolecules. The new instrument will allow flash-frozen crystals to be saved in their frozen state for later diffraction experiments. A new optical system for an existing diffraction instrument will improve the intensity and quality of the X-ray beam, permitting more pricise measurements and use of smaller crystals than now possible. Finally a new microspectrophotometer will be obtained to monitor enzymatic reactions and measure ligand binding of crystalline macromolecules. The award provides improved infrastructure for one of the nation's leading academic laboratories in one of the most important areas of contemporary biology.