Automated gas chromatography system

在这个申请中，我们要求资金购买一个自动化气相色谱系统，能够进行快速和可重复的脂质定量分析。我们的研究项目集中于植物脂质代谢及其调控，目标是操纵商业作物的角质层蜡和种子油成分。我们的研究利用突变体和大量具有改变脂质谱的转基因植物。由于脂质组成的变化只能通过气相色谱法准确测定，因此所要求的仪器对我们评估这些突变体和基因工程植物是必不可少的。到目前为止，我们一直使用植物学系贝弗利·格林博士1985年购买的旧仪器进行常规分析。然而，这种气相色谱仪和高通量样品分析所需的自动进样器现在已经坏了，无法修复，因为制造商不再支持这种旧型号。在过去的六个月里，我们一直依赖于位于我们系Jetter实验室的高端分析GC-MS仪器。由于实验室人员大量使用该仪器，并且其分析重点是鉴定未知化合物，而不是常规检测不同数量的已知化合物，因此该气相色谱仪不适合我们的需要。我们的受训者，以及我们的研究项目，面临着研究进展和生产力的严重延迟。所要求的仪器将缓解这些问题，并提供宝贵的资源，不仅需要我们的实验室，而且我们部门的其他成员。

In this application, we request funds to purchase an automated gas chromatography system, capable of carrying out fast and reproducible quantitative analyses of lipids. Our research programs focus on plant lipid metabolism and its regulation, with the goals of manipulating cuticular wax and seed oil compositions in commercial crops. Our studies utilize mutants and large numbers of transgenic plants with altered lipid profiles. Since lipid compositional changes can only be accurately determined by gas chromatography, the requested instrument is essential to us for evaluations of such mutants and genetically engineered plants. Until now we have been using an old instrument purchased by Dr. Beverley Green in the Department of Botany in 1985 for routine analysis. However, this gas chromatograph and the autosampler required for high throughput sample analyses have now broken down and are not possible to repair because the manufacturer no longer supports this older model. In the past six months, we have been relying heavily on a high-end analytical GC-MS instrument located in the Jetter lab in our department. Due to the heavy use of this instrument by the lab residents, and its analytical focus on identification of unknown compounds, rather than routine detection of varying amounts of known compounds, this gas chromatograph is not appropriate for our needs. Our trainees, as well as our research programs, face serious delays in research progress and productivity. The requested instrument will alleviate these problems, and provide an invaluable resource required not only for our labs, but also other members of our Department.