Formulatrix Automated Protein Crystallization System

描述（由申请人提供）：NIH对结构基因组学的承诺正在推动新工具的开发，以实现自动结晶。但是自动化也会对传统的、问题驱动的晶体学产生重大影响。在这里，我们建议在加州大学洛杉矶分校的生物研究社区购买自动结晶系统。该系统将包括：（1）用于生成筛选试剂的Formulatrix Tecan Evo-150液体处理机器人;（2）用于设置结晶试验的Moscow纳升分配机器人;以及（3）用于快速成像试验结果的Formulatrix Rock Imager自动显微镜。 这项拨款申请的成功将引发加州大学洛杉矶分校的承诺，这将使我们能够为校园创建一个大分子结晶设施。特别是，加州大学洛杉矶分校已经预留了一个实验室来容纳该设施，并将提供资金对其进行翻新。他们还将提供工资支持，以聘请一名设施经理。因此，这笔设备赠款将成为在加州大学洛杉矶分校创建一个新设施的催化剂，这将满足我们在结构确定方面不断增长的需求。该设施将不仅服务于5个主要和11个次要用户在此拨款申请，但将开放给任何人在加州大学洛杉矶分校校园。 该结晶系统将为我们NIH资助的研究项目带来主要好处：降低成本：结晶试验设置的费用将减少约75%，因为我们将（1）批量购买供应品;（2）降低劳动力成本;（3）不再购买商业屏幕。提高生产力：生产率将得到提高，因为（1）纳升分配机器人大大减少了所需的蛋白质量，使表达不佳的目标易于结晶;（2）自动化将有助于使用更大的屏幕，提高成功的机会;（3）自动化将消除结晶试验设置的耗时和智力麻木的任务，解放我们的实验室成员做其他有用的工作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The commitment of NIH to structural genomics is driving the development of new tools to automate crystallization. But automation can also have a major impact on traditional, problem driven crystallography. Here we propose the purchase of an automated crystallization system for the biological research community at UCLA. The system will consist of (1) a Formulatrix Tecan Evo-150 liquid handling robot for the generation of screening reagents; (2) a Mosquito nanoliter dispensing robot for setting up crystallization trials; and (3) a Formulatrix Rock Imager automated microscope for rapidly imaging the trial results. Success of this grant application will trigger commitments from UCLA that will allow us to create a macromolecular crystallization facility for the campus. In particular, UCLA has set aside a laboratory to house the facility and will provide funds to renovate it. They will also provide salary support to hire a facility manager. Thus, this equipment grant will be the catalyst for creating a new facility at UCLA that will serve our growing needs in structure determination. The facility will not only serve the 5 major and 11 minor users on this grant application, but will be open to anyone on the UCLA campus. The crystallization system will have major benefits for our NIH funded research projects: Cost reduction: The expense of crystallization trial set ups will be reduced by roughly 75% because we will (1) purchase supplies in bulk; (2) have lower labor costs; and (3) no longer buy commercial screens. Increased productivity: Productivity will be enhanced because (1) the nanoliter dispensing robot dramatically reduces the amount of protein needed, making poorly expressed targets accessible to crystallization; (2) automation will facilitate the use of larger screens, improving the chances of success; and (3) automation will eliminate the time consuming and intellectually numbing task of crystallization trial setups, freeing our lab members to do other useful work.