MRI: Acquisition of an Octet RED96 BioLayer Interferometry Instrument for Multidisciplinary Molecular Interaction Research and Training

南达科他州立大学(SDSU)功能基因组核心设施(FGCF)获得并实施了一台Octet RED96生物层干涉测量仪(BII)。该BII将使南达科他州(SD)的研究人员和学生能够研究生物分子相互作用速率(即动力学)，包括DNA-蛋白质、蛋白质-蛋白质和蛋白质-小分子相互作用，涉及现有和未来的研究项目。这些分子相互作用的动力学是所有生物过程的基础，因此量化这些相互作用对于SD生物科学研究的发展至关重要。了解相关技术将促进大多数生物学科中现有和未来科学家的专业发展。FGCF的使命是通过为研究人员和教育工作者提供接触和培训尖端分子技术的途径，促进病毒、细菌、植物和动物系统的跨学科基因功能研究和培训。BII系统提供的功能目前在FGCF中不可用，但该设施的用户需要这些功能。作为FGCF的一个组成部分，OCTET BII将立即加强至少三所SD大学的集体研究努力，涉及15名研究人员、34名研究生、28名本科生和6名博士后助理和访问科学家。这些研究工作主要集中在改善人类和动物健康以及尽量减少作物生产对环境的影响。来自SD院校的教师也承诺将BII技术融入几个研究生和本科课程。FGCF还将负责推动这些技术在该地区所有学院、大学和新兴公司的各种可持续发展研究项目中的应用。该仪器还将允许BII技术被纳入正在进行的推广计划中，例如高中教师研讨会，通过SDSU Wokini倡议为美洲原住民学生提供的培训计划，以及通过REU计划的夏季本科生研究经验。有许多项目准备使用该仪器进行研究，从蓝藻的固氮，到农业植物中的共生微生物关系，到哺乳动物免疫系统中的优化功能组件，以及各种病毒与受体的特定相互作用。该仪器将增强新兴研究实体(例如生化时空网络资源(BioSNTR)和二维材料生物膜工程科学与技术(2DBEST)研究中心的优势，该研究中心旨在使用先进的成像和分子生物学技术研究涉及细胞信号的复杂分子电路)，方法是增加定量测量和动力学表征各种生命系统中的生物分子相互作用的工作流程。BioSNTR是之前NSF EPSCoR RII计划的重点，该计划名为“2020远景：为南达科他州建立研究、教育和创新伙伴关系”，但它的活动正在通过将由该工具促进的新项目进行。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

An award is made to South Dakota State University (SDSU) Functional Genomics Core Facility (FGCF) to acquire and implement an Octet RED96 BioLayer Interferometry Instrument (BII). This BII will enable researchers and students from throughout the state of South Dakota (SD) to study biomolecular interaction rates (i.e. kinetics), including DNA-protein, protein-protein, and protein-small molecule interactions across a variety of biological system involving existing and future research projects. The kinetics of these molecular interactions are the basis for all biological processes, and so quantifying these interactions is critical for the growth of bioscience research in SD. Understanding the associated technologies will promote professional development of existing and future scientists within most biological disciplines. The mission of the FGCF is to facilitate interdisciplinary gene function research and training in viral, bacterial, plant and animal systems by providing researchers and educators with access to and train for cutting-edge molecular technologies. The capabilities provided by a BII system is not currently available in the FGCF but are needed by the users of this facility. As a component of the FGCF, the Octet BII will immediately enhance the collective research efforts from at least three SD universities involving 15 investigators, 34 graduate students, 28 undergraduate students, and 6 postdoctoral associates and visiting scientists. These research efforts are primarily focused on improving human and animal health and minimizing the environmental impact of crop production. Teachers from the SD institutions have also committed to incorporating BII technologies into several graduate and undergraduate courses. The FGCF will be responsible for also promoting the utilization of these technologies into various SD research programs within all colleges, universities and emerging companies within the region. This instrument will also allow BII technologies to be incorporated into ongoing outreach programs, such as high-school teacher workshops, training programs for Native American students through the SDSU Wokini Initiative and summer undergraduate research experiences through REU programs.There are a wide variety of projects ready to use this instrument with studies ranging from nitrogen fixation in cyanobacteria, to the symbiotic microbe relationships in agricultural plants, to the optimizing functional components within mammalian immune systems, and various virus-receptor specific interactions. This instrument will enhance strengths among emerging research entities (e.g. the Biochemical Spatiotemporal NeTwork Resource (BioSNTR) and 2D material Biofilm Engineering Science and Technology (2DBEST) research centers established to investigate the sophisticated molecular circuits involved in cell signaling using advanced imaging and molecular biology technologies) by adding a workflow to quantitative measure and kinetically characterize biomolecular interactions in various living systems. The BioSNTR was the focus of a previous a NSF EPSCOR RII program entitled “The 2020 Vision: Building Research, Education, and Innovation Partnerships for South Dakota", but it's activities are ongoing through new projects that will be facilitated by this instrumentation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.