Fluorescence Plate Reader for Chemical Biology

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Fluorescence is a fundamental phenomenon that provides critical information about the interactions and functions of biological macromolecules such as proteins, DNA and carbohydrates. As such, access to a fluorescence plate reader by our three biological chemistry groups is essential to maintaining our high level of productivity. The Nitz lab depends on this infrastructure to deconvolute protein-carbohydrate binding interactions, which is achieved by monitoring emission changes in environmentally sensitive fluorophores. The Zamble lab depends on the fluorescence plate reader to study the mechanisms that bacteria use to regulate cellular transition metal flux and metalloprotein expression. This key process is mediated by metal-dependent transcription factors, and the activities of these DNA-binding proteins are evaluated by fluorescence polarization experiments. The research of the Woolley lab on photo-controlled proteins relies heavily on a range of fluorescence measurements (polarization, energy transfer, quenching) for monitoring light-driven conformational changes in proteins. The breadth of these applications of the fluorescent plate reader speaks to the versatility of this piece of instrumentation and its central position in our repertoire of analytical techniques