Multipurpose microplate reader

多用途酶标仪是一种用途广泛、使用率极高的研究仪器。在分子研究中，快速准确地分析大量样品的能力至关重要。这款仪器不仅可以做到这一点，而且其灵活性（分光光度计/荧光计/光度计）允许许多不同类型的分析成为可能。另一个好处是，与旧技术相比，该系统的灵敏度允许使用小体积。这可以显著降低通常使用昂贵的分子和精细化学试剂的实验的总成本。多检测器多板阅读器可用于测量酶活性、基因表达（绿色荧光蛋白或lux融合）或微板形式的代谢物水平，允许分析96或386个样品。麦吉尔大学的一些研究小组将定期使用这种仪器，这些研究小组研究不同的生物系统，以了解代谢通量在压力或其他条件下如何变化。Bede的实验室将使用这种仪器来测量植物对毛虫植食性反应的细胞变化，并评估植物营养质量对毛虫生理过程的影响。通过了解这种相互作用，这项研究将导致对昆虫植食性植物保护的策略。Drivel的研究小组调查了与大气氮固定有关的豆类-根瘤菌共生关系，这是一个可以最大限度地减少肥料投入的农业区。他的研究重点是参与碳代谢的酶的调节。使用这种仪器将使他能够测量基因表达和关键酶的活性。Chernier和Whyte实验室将使用该仪器测量微生物菌落生长。测量代谢物水平和/或酶活性将使怀特的实验室了解微生物极端微生物如何适应其环境，从而有可能将这些策略用于工业目的。因此，获得该仪器可用于各种研究计划，其目标是提高农业效率和/或工业应用。

A multipurpose multiplate reader is an extremely versatile and heavily-utilized research instrument. In molecular research, the capacity to analyze large numbers of samples quickly and accurately is critical. Not only does this instrument allow this, but its flexibility (spectrophotometer/fluorometer/luminometer) allows many different types of analyses to be possible. An additional benefit is that the sensitivity of this system allows small volumes to be used, as compared to older technologies. This can significantly reduce the overall costs of an experiment which often use expensive molecular and fine chemical reagents. The multidetector multiplate reader can be used to measure enzyme activity, gene expression (green fluorescent protein- or lux-fusions) or metabolite levels in a microplate format that allows 96 or 386-samples to be analyzed. This instrument will be routinely used by a number of research groups at McGill University who study different biological systems to understand how metabolic flux shifts under stress or other conditions. Bede's laboratory will use this instrument to measure cellular changes in plants in response to caterpillar herbivory and to assess the impact of plant nutritional quality on caterpillar physiological processes. By understanding this interaction, this research will lead to strategies for plant protection against insect herbivores. Driscoll's group investigates legume-rhizobia symbiosis involved in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, an agricultural area which may minimize the need for fertilizer inputs. His research focuses on the regulation of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism. Access to this instrument will allow him to measure gene expression and activity of key enzymes. This instrument will be used to measure microbial colony growth by Chernier and Whyte's laboratories. Measuring metabolite levels and/or enzyme activity will allow Whyte's lab to understand how microbial extremophiles are adapted to their environments to potentially adopt these strategies for industrial purposes. Therefore, access to this instrument can be used for a diversity of research programs with goals to increase agricultural efficiency and/or industrial applications.