Analytical Ultracentrifugation of Biomolecules and Macromolecular Complexes

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The conformational status of proteins is an important mechanism by which biological processes are regulated. Most proteins go through a series of structural changes in the course of their functional cycle to accommodate binding to, and modification by, other molecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids to produce specific outcomes. Therefore, the inability for proteins to adopt particular conformations has important implications, particularly with respect to disease development and progression. Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a relatively simple, powerful method that is capable of assessing and distinguishing between different conformational states of proteins without compromising sample integrity. Moreover, AUC is highly amenable for the determination of other parameters, including size and shape of the protein, and in being able to establish how other molecules affect these attributes. The AUC equipment requested here will add tremendous value to our research programs, which are heavily rooted in understanding how proteins are regulated via changes to their conformational and oligomeric states as well as how such features correlate to biological function. Funding of this proposal will provide a continuing opportunity for the research personnel in our laboratories (students, technicians and post-doctoral fellows) to gain valuable training with one of the most widely used approaches in modern protein structure and function studies. Ready access to an AUC machine will serve to add value to their careers as scientific researchers.