Protein Core

肯塔基州大学分子医学中心的蛋白质核心与生物医学 研究人员促进重组蛋白和其他蛋白质的表达、纯化和表征， 大分子它使可用的设备，仪器，和专业知识，通常不会被发现内 个人研究实验室。核心有发酵罐，生物反应器和组织培养设施， 根据需要在细菌、酵母、昆虫或哺乳动物细胞中表达重组蛋白。它还维护 细胞裂解设备和用于纯化重组蛋白的广泛设施。另外还有按 一系列用于生物物理表征的分析仪器可在核心中使用，包括动态 光散射，旋光光度法，荧光，等温滴定量热法，高效液相 色谱法、分析超离心法和X射线晶体学。晶体学设施包括 自动化结晶试验的仪器，内部数据收集设备，以及 一个小组（SER-CAT）在位于纽约的高级光子源操作最先进的数据收集设施， 在阿贡国家实验室。一名核心工作人员负责维护设备，提供培训， 与研究人员一起完成他们的个人项目。有经验的用户可以直接使用核心设施， 而新用户首先由核心人员进行培训，并在初始实验中得到协助。用户更多 困难的项目得到核心人员的额外援助。开展服务项目 选择性地提供给缺乏专业知识或人员的用户，以便他们自己执行工作。核心是 每年由代表50-70个研究小组的研究人员使用，超过4200个个人使用 第二阶段COBRE供资前四年记录的仪器或设施。外联活动 包括核心网站，核心相关教师的讲座，个人和小组培训课程， 每月的研究谈话系列，并参加研究生课程和NSF REU暑期课程。的 核心是积极获得新的仪器和引进新技术。向自我维持的过渡 计划在COBRE第三阶段供资过程中建立一个区域设施。

The Protein Core in the University of Kentucky Center for Molecular Medicine works with biomedical investigators to facilitate the expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant proteins and other macromolecules. It makes available equipment, instrumentation, and expertise not normally be found within individual research laboratories. The Core has fermentors, bioreactors, and tissue culture facilities for expressing recombinant protein in bacteria, yeast, insect, or mammalian cells as required. It also maintains cell cracking equipment and an extensive facility for the purification of recombinant proteins. In addition, a range of analytical instruments for biophysical characterization are available in the Core, including dynamic light scattering, spectropolarimetry, fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry, high performance liquid chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, and X-ray crystallography. Crystallography facilities include instruments for automated crystallization trials, in house data collection equipment, and membership in a group (SER-CAT) operating a state-of-the-art data collection facility at the Advanced Photon Source located within Argonne National Laboratory. A Core staff member maintains the equipment, provides training and, works with researchers on their individual projects. Experienced users have direct access to Core facilities, while new users are first trained by Core personnel and assisted in initial experiments. Users with more difficult projects receive additional assistance from the Core personnel. Service projects are undertaken selectively for users who lack the expertise or personnel to carry out the work on their own. The Core is used by investigators representing 50-70 research groups each year, with over 4200 individual uses of instruments or facilities documented for the first four years of Phase II COBRE funding. Outreach activities include the Core web site, talks given by Core associated faculty, individual and group training sessions, a monthly research talk series, and participation in graduate courses and an NSF REU summer program. The Core is active in obtaining new instrumentation and introducing new techniques. Transition to a selfsustaining regional facility is planned over the course of Phase III COBRE funding.