Acquisition of an imaging platform for proteins and nucleic acids

为了了解微生物复制和细胞分化等基本生物过程的机制，必须能够有效可靠地定性和定量分析蛋白质和核酸样品。例如，为了跟踪细胞信号事件，通常有必要量化翻译后修饰，如磷酸化和泛素化。免疫印迹法是研究此类修饰的标准方法；然而，为了获得高质量的数据，需要凝胶文件系统来有效地获取可进行统计分析的定量数据。此外，通常有必要评估特定蛋白质的总体水平和特定修饰形式的水平，以及负载控制水平。除了蛋白质检测，用琼脂糖或丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳解决的核酸成像和分析构成了分子生物学的主干。该提案旨在获得蛋白质和核酸的生物成像系统，以支持生物科学的基础研究项目，该项目将在一个由12个微生物学和免疫学研究实验室组成的展馆中进行。所要求的蛋白质成像模块是具有多重荧光成像和化学发光成像能力的最先进的激光扫描仪模块。它将与一个主力模块相辅相成，以支持常规核酸成像和使用标准荧光染色进行数据分析。该系统将由一台装有图像采集和分析专用软件的计算机操作。将包括多个软件许可证，以确保受训者可以在各自的工作站分析数据，因此将保留使用成像系统进行数据采集。由于软件和计算机操作系统过时，无法更新，展馆内的核酸成像仪已经过了使用寿命，因此迫切需要这一系统。此外，对于免疫印迹实验，展馆里的研究人员目前依靠的是一台几十年前的显影机，而这台显影机已经好几年无法订购更换部件了。获得的生物分子扫描仪允许研究人员进行多重免疫印迹，将提供比展馆现有基础设施更高质量的数据。它还将确保学员获得利用最先进的方法在实验中定量分析特定蛋白质和核酸的研究经验，同时纳入以视觉格式包容性地呈现数据的最佳做法，以便尽可能多的视力有差异的人能够访问数据。

To understand the mechanisms underlying fundamental biological processes such as microbial replication and cell differentiation, it is essential to be able to efficiently and reliably analyze samples of proteins and nucleic acids, both qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, to follow cell signaling events it is often necessary to quantify posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination. Immunoblotting is a standard approach for studying such modifications; however, to obtain high quality data, gel documentation systems are required for efficient acquisition of quantitative data that can be subjected to statistical analyses. Moreover, it is often necessary to assess both the global levels of a particular protein and levels of a specific modified form, as well as levels of loading controls. In addition to protein detection, the imaging and analysis of nucleic acids that are resolved using agarose or acrylamide gel electrophoresis form the backbone of molecular biology. This proposal is to acquire a bioimaging system for proteins and nucleic acids to support fundamental research programs in the biological sciences in a pavilion for 12 laboratories in microbiology and immunology research. The requested imaging module for proteins is a state-of-the art laser scanner module with the capacity for multiplex fluorescence imaging and chemiluminescence imaging. It will be complemented with a work-horse module to support routine nucleic acid imaging and data analysis using standard fluorescent stains. The system will be operated from a computer with proprietary software for image acquisition and analysis. Multiple software licenses will be included to ensure trainees can analyze data at their respective workstation, and thus use of the imaging system will be reserved for data acquisition. There is an urgent need for this system as the nucleic acid imager in the pavilion is past its useful life, due to outdated software and computer operating systems that cannot be updated. Moreover, for immunoblot experiments researchers in the pavilion are presently relying on a decades old film developer for which it has been impossible to order replacement parts for several years. The acquisition of a biomolecular scanner that allows researchers to conduct multiplex immunoblotting will provide higher quality data than is possible with the present infrastructure in the pavilion. It will also ensure that trainees acquire research experience using state-of-the-art approaches to quantitatively analyze specific proteins and nucleic acids in the context of their experiments, while incorporating best practices for the inclusive presentation of data in visual format, so that as many individuals as possible with vision differences can access the data.