Protein purification system

通过大规模DNA测序联盟的努力产生的丰富的基因组序列信息创造了一个前所未有的机会来识别和利用编码新的酶化学或药物靶标的基因簇。蛋白质工程、定向进化和计算方面也取得了显著进展。现在存在各种策略，用于创建大量的修饰蛋白质文库，以及基于所需的性质从这些文库中筛选或选择蛋白质。这些性质包括稳定性、配体结合特异性和催化作用。女王大学Zechel和Pratt实验室的研究重点是阐明新蛋白质的功能，设计新药物和改造蛋白质，使其具有对社会和环境有价值的新功能。例如，糖和肽结合蛋白的定向进化；合成吲哚咔唑和吡咯硝酮等新型药物分子的酶的催化机制；裂解除草剂和化学武器中稳定的碳磷键的酶的机制；以及炎症相关酶、脂氧合酶和环氧合酶的基于机制的抑制剂的设计。这一研究成果对开发新的诊断试剂和生物传感器、合成药物或降解环境污染物的生物催化剂和针对氧化还原活性酶的新药具有重要意义。为了设计新型蛋白质和酶或工业催化剂，对这些蛋白质和酶的分析需要高度纯化。蛋白质样品中的杂质会干扰生化分析和结构分析，并导致蛋白质降解。现代蛋白质纯化系统是任何生化实验室中的关键设备，可以快速产生纯蛋白质。这笔赠款将允许购买这一必要的设备，以支持泽切尔和普拉特实验室的活动。该设备还将为学生提供操作最先进的仪器的经验，该仪器是目前蛋白质纯化的行业标准。

The wealth of genomic sequence information that has been generated through the efforts of large scale DNA sequencing consortiums has created an unprecedented opportunity to identify and exploit clusters of genes that encode novel enzyme chemistries or drug targets. Remarkable advances have also occurred in protein engineering, directed evolution and computation. A variety of strategies now exist for creating massive libraries of modified proteins as well as screening or selecting proteins from these libraries based on a desired property. These properties include stability, ligand binding specificity and catalysis. Research in the Zechel and Pratt labs at Queen's University is focused on elucidating the functions of novel proteins, designing new drugs and engineering proteins to have new functions that are valuable to society and the environment. Examples include the directed evolution of sugar and peptide binding proteins; catalytic mechanisms enzymes that synthesize novel drug like molecules such as indolocarbazoles and pyrollnitrin; the mechanism of enzymes that cleave the stable carbon-phosphorous bond in herbicides and chemical weapons; and the design of mechanism based inhibitors for the inflammation related enzymes lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases. The outcome of this research is critical for the development of new diagnostic reagents and biosensors, biocatalysts for the synthesis drugs or degradation of environmental pollutants and new drugs targeting redox active enzymes. The analysis of novel proteins and enzymes for the design of thereapeutics or industrial catalysts requires that these proteins be highly purified. Impurities in proteins samples can interfere with biochemical assays and structure analysis as well as lead to protein degradation. A modern protein purification system is a key piece of equipment in any biochemical lab that allows rapid generation of pure protein. This grant will allow the purchase of this essential piece of equipment that will support the activities within the Zechel and Pratt labs. The equipment will also provide students with experience in running a state-of-the-art instrument that is the current industry standard in protein purification.