MRI-R2: Acquisition of High Performance Centrifuge and Freeze-Dry System to Enhance Research and Teaching

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。在美国国家科学基金会MRI-R2项目的支持下，德克萨斯A&amp；M国际大学获得了一台高性能冷冻离心机和一台台式冻干系统。新设备能够有效地分离和纯化植物凝集素，为进一步的研究提供纯化的凝集素。凝集素被描述为非免疫来源的蛋白质，由于其对特定碳水化合物结构的特异性，因此在研究蛋白质-碳水化合物相互作用方面很有用。通过检查凝集素的碳水化合物特异性来了解蛋白质-碳水化合物相互作用的机制在包括病虫害抗性植物在内的各个领域至关重要。德克萨斯农工国际大学的研究人员正在使用新系统系统地搜索和精确地绘制原产于南德克萨斯地区的新的植物凝集素来源。通过他们的实验，这些研究人员正在开发一套从这些新的植物来源中分离和纯化凝集素的方案，并建立一个准确和最新的凝集素来源清单，在一系列学科中有用。这些仪器还将用于培训学生蛋白质纯化和生化分析的方案和技术，并培养这些学生独立设计和开展实验的能力。这些工具扩大了校内（部门内和部门间）和校外的合作研究活动。通过这项设备拨款改善TAMIU的研究基础设施，也将扩大这一历史上代表性不足的人群的学生参与科学研究活动，这将有助于形成一支种族多样化的国家科学劳动力队伍，这对美国在21世纪的技术和经济竞争力至关重要。最后，作为科学知识的生产场所，这项设备要求所促成的研究成果将通过科学会议、学术期刊和其他公共学术论坛广泛传播。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Support from the NSF MRI-R2 program allowed Texas A&M International University to acquire a High Performance Refrigerated Centrifuge and a Benchtop Freeze Dry systems. The new equipment enables the efficient isolation and purification of plant lectins and will provide purified lectins for use in further research. Described as proteins of non-immune origin, lectins are useful in investigating protein- carbohydrate interactions because of their specificity for defined carbohydrate structures. Understanding the mechanism of protein-carbohydrate interaction by way of examining the carbohydrate specificity of lectins is critical in various fields, including pest- and disease-resistant plants. Researchers at Texas A&M International University are using the new systems to systematically search and accurately map new plant sources of lectin native to the South Texas region. Through their experiments, these researchers are developing a set of protocols to isolate and purify lectins from these new plant sources, and building an accurate and up-to-date inventory of lectin sources useful in a range of disciplines. The instruments will also be used to train students on the protocols and techniques of protein purification and biochemical assay, and develop in these students the ability to independently design and carry-out experiments. The instruments expand intramural (intra- and inter-departmental) and extramural collaborative research engagements. Improvement in TAMIU's research infrastructure through this equipment grant will also broaden the participation of students from this historically underrepresented population in scientific research activities, which will contribute to the emergence of a racially diverse national scientific workforce critical to the technological and economic competitiveness of the U.S. in the twenty-first century. Finally, as a production site for scientific knowledge, results from research enabled by this equipment request will be broadly disseminated through scientific conferences, scholarly journals, and other public academic forums.