U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Three Dimensional Reconstruction of Immunocomplexes from Images of Single Particles

这项为期三年的奖项支持纽约州奥尔巴尼卫生部的Joachim Frank和图尔斯大学的Jean Lamy在生物物理学方面的美法合作研究。他们的研究目标是开发一种定位免疫复合体上抗体结合部位的方法。具体地说，他们将致力于绘制血蓝蛋白分子中的抗原表位图。该方法包括使用电子显微镜和三维重建技术。弗兰克博士和他的团队将图像重建的创新技术带到了这次合作中。奥尔巴尼实验室开发了一个大型的专门软件系统，用于对大分子和二维地图进行三维成像。法国实验室在免疫化学和蛋白质化学方面的丰富经验补充了这一点。此外，该项目将受益于他们以前在三维重建方面的合作。这一模型体系的应用引起了大分子化学研究者的极大兴趣。所提出的技术将有助于绘制大分子的结合部位图，这些大分子不能结晶，并且对于传统的X射线结晶学来说太大了。该项目所获得的知识将对生物化学和分子生物学的研究人员有所裨益。

This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in biophysics between Joachim Frank from the New York State Department of Health in Albany and Jean Lamy at the University of Tours. The objective of their research is to develop a methodology for localizing binding sites of antibodies on immunocomplexes. Specifically, they will work on mapping antigenic epitopes in A. Hemocyanin molecules. The methodology involves using electron microscopy and three dimensional reconstruction techniques. Dr. Frank and his group bring to this collaboration innovative technology for image reconstruction. The Albany Lab has developed a large specialized software system for three-dimension imaging of macromolecules and two-dimensional maps. This is complemented by the French laboratory's extensive experience in immunochemistry and protein chemistry of A. Hemocyanin. In addition the project will benefit from their previous collaboration on three-dimensional reconstruction. The use of this model system is of great interest to researchers in macromolecular chemistry. The proposed techniques will facilitate the mapping of binding sites of macromolecules, which cannot be crystallized and are too large for conventional x-ray crystallography. The knowledge gained from this project will be beneficial to researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology.