Bioproducts analysis facilties

我们实验室的研究涉及碳水化合物活性酶的结构和功能关系，这些酶是催化涉及糖的生化反应的蛋白质。这些研究的中心集中在细菌、酵母和植物的生理学和新陈代谢上，需要提纯和分析生物分子，如蛋白质、碳水化合物、有机酸和酒精。为此，主要申请者维护和操作了若干液相色谱系统，包括为圭尔夫大学及其他地方的研究人员提供的碳水化合物分析设施。该设施的核心是Dionex高pH阴离子交换色谱仪，与脉冲安培检测相结合，用于分辨率和检测低于十亿分之一克的碳水化合物。然而，样本必须手动注入系统，从而影响服务的效率。为了提供更好的服务，我们建议购买一台Dionex AP-AS自动取样器，与现有设备接口。此外，用于研究中的蛋白质和酶的纯化的层析设备已经退化到需要更换的程度。因此，我们还建议购买一个专用的蛋白质纯化系统，Akta Pure M1层析系统。最后，我们需要对各种生物样品中的醇的浓度进行高压液相色谱(HPLC)分析。醇不吸收光，而且它们不是离子的，因此不能使用通常构成高效液相系统的分光光度检测器或离子检测器。然而，醇的检测可以通过监测它们在载体溶剂中引起的折射率变化来实现，因此我们建议在现有的高效液相系统中配备一个新的RI检测器。

Research in our laboratories concerns the structure and function relationship of carbohydrate-active enzymes, proteins that catalyse biochemical reactions involving sugars. Central to these investigations, which focus on bacterial, yeast, and plant physiology and metabolism, is the need for the purification and analysis of biomolecules, such as proteins, carbohydrates, organic acids and alcohols. To this end, the principal applicant maintains and operates a number of liquid chromatography systems including carbohydrate analysis facility for researchers at the University of Guelph and beyond. At the core of this facility is a Dionex high-pH anion-exchange chromatograph coupled with pulsed-amperometric detection for the resolution and detection carbohydrates at levels below one billionth of a gram. However, samples have to been injected into the system manually thus compromising the efficiency of the service. To provide better service, we propose to purchase a Dionex AP-AS autosampler that interfaces to the existing equipment. Also, chromatography equipment used for the purification of the proteins and enzymes under investigation has deteriorated to point where it needs to be replaced. Hence, we also propose to purchase a dedicated protein purification system, an Akta Pure M1 chromatography system. Finally, we have a need to analyse for the concentration of alcohols in various biological samples by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Alcohols do not absorb light and they are not ionic thus precluding the use of spectrophotometric or ion detectors that typically comprise HPLC systems. However, the detection of alcohols can be achieved by monitoring the change in refractive index that they cause in carrier solvents and so we propose to equip an existing HPLC system with a new RI detector.