Microplate spectrophotometer for reporter gene assays

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Arabidopsis is a model organism for agricultural biotechnology, providing the opportunity to get key insights into the way that gene function can affect crop improvement. With the completion of the Arabidopsis genome sequencing project, the next major challenge is the determination of gene function. Reporter gene assays are one of the most efficient applications and essential components for the studies of gene functions. More and more reporter gene assays are based on either fluorometric or luminometric detection. The assays can be easily and efficiently achieved in a Microplate Spectrophotometer, which could read fluorescence or luminescence in 6- to 384-well formats, allowing high throughput measurements of gene expression, activation, repression, and protein degradation. Funds are requested for purchasing a BioTek Synergy HT Multi-Detection Microplate Spectrophotometer (total cost $41,708.00). This equipment will be extensively used for the research programs supported by the NSERC. The acquisition of such a Microplate Spectrophotometer will provide exceptional opportunities for the success of the NSERC-supported research programs, and is essential for determining the function of large number of genes in plants at mechanistic level. Furthermore, this equipment will be made available for the plant biology community in British Columbia, thereby promoting advance and excellence in science in a large scale.