Preparative ultracentrifuge for the study of ribonucleoprotein complexes, their structure, function, and rational engineering.

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A preparative ultracentrifuge is urgently requested to support several research projects at the University of Lethbridge. These projects focus on the mechanistic principles underlying the structural and functional dynamics of the cellular machinery that are responsible for the translation of genetic information into functional proteins, a process called translation. Translation takes place at the ribosome, one of the most abundant RNA and protein containing cellular nano-machines. These macromolecular machines interact in a complex and precisely timed fashion with numerous additional proteins and RNAs, facilitating the fast and accurate protein synthesis crucial for every living cell. A detailed understanding of the dynamic properties and mechanisms inherent to processes occurring in macromolecular assemblies is crucial for a wide variety of applications such as rational drug design and bio-molecular engineering. The ribosome is a particularly relevant and interesting model system, being the site of protein synthesis and the target for numerous antibiotics and rational drug design projects. The supported research programs will strongly contribute to understanding and identifying the design principles underlying protein-RNA nano-machines and their self-assembly properties. Furthermore it will shed light on the role that RNA modifications and modifying enzymes play for the assembly and functional mechanisms of such RNA and protein containing cellular machines, providing us with key information required for the rational design and engineering of bio-molecular nano-machines. The requested instrument will be used for the analysis and preparative purification of ribosome, ribosomal subunits, ribosomal precursors, as well as defined ribosomal complexes and modified ribosomes. The requested instrument will replace an old existing system which is the only preparative ultracentrifuge at the University of Lethbridge and which failed earlier this year. The requested Ultracentrifuge will be compatible with the existing suite of ultracentrifugation rotors, making it the most cost-effective solution.