Peptide synthesizer essential for natural products and chemical biology research

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We desperately require a replacement solid phase peptide synthesizer. Access to peptides, including those substituted with non-proteinogenic amino acids, is essential for HQP in our research groups to characterize peptidic natural product biosynthetic pathways, study DNA-binding hydrocarbon stapled peptides, develop probes for labeling proteins, and to study enzymes in biological settings. Our previous solid phase peptide synthesizer, a CEM microwave peptide synthesizer, has been phased out by the manufacturer and both replacement and consumable parts are no longer available, leading to imminent loss of function for the instrument, thereby negatively impacting the training and progress through their degrees for all HQPs. No instrument is available on campus to replace this essential research tool. Without this infrastructure, the Boddy lab will not be able to maintain its internationally recognized, cutting edge research program on harnessing natural product biosynthesis to access complex molecules, nor will the Keillor lab be able to retain its position as a world leader in the development of chemical tools to interrogate transglutaminase (TGase) biology.