MRI:Acquisition of an Isothermal Titration Calorimeter to Characterize Molecular Interactions

巴克内尔大学的David Rovnyak教授和他的同事Thomas Selby、Marie Pizzorno、Timothy Strein和Charles Clapp将获得一个等温滴定量热计（ITC）。该建议旨在加强各级的研究和教育，特别是在以下领域：(a)通过微尺度量热法研究分子相互作用；(b)胆胶束与宿主结合；(c)研究病毒蛋白之间的蛋白-蛋白相互作用；(d)大豆脂氧化酶-1抑制剂的表征；(e)磷酸肌醇特异性磷脂酶C （PI-PLC）酶的结合和特异性。等温滴定量热法（ITC）是一种非常灵敏的热力学技术，用于表征物种之间的结合相互作用，如小分子与酶之间的结合相互作用。ITC直接测量在结合过程中吸收或释放的热量。这提供了对化学和生化结合相互作用强度的见解。量热计也将被纳入几个高年级的实验课。因此，这一工具不仅将用于研究，而且还将用于教育和外联活动。

With this award from the Chemistry Major Research Instrumentation Program, Professor David Rovnyak from Bucknell University and colleagues Thomas Selby, Marie Pizzorno, Timothy Strein and Charles Clapp will acquire an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC). The proposal is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) study of molecular interactions by microscale calorimetry; (b) guest-host binding by bile micelles; (c) study of protein-protein interactions between viral proteins; (d) characterization of inhibitors of soybean lipoxygenase-1; and (e) binding and specificity of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) enzymes.Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a very sensitive thermodynamic technique that is used to characterize binding interactions between species such as those between a small molecule and an enzyme. ITC measures directly the heat absorbed or released during a binding process. This provides insight on the strength of chemical and biochemical binding interactions. The calorimeter will also be incorporated into several upper division level laboratory classes. Thus this instrument will be used not only in research but also in educational and outreach activities.