The Structural Biology Core Facility is located in the Molecular Imaging Research Center, in the rear of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center. It contains both the capability for protein expression and structural analysis. This NMR portion of the facility contains 650 Mhz and 800 Mhz NMR instruments and is operated as part of the Structural Biology Program, under the direction of Professor Andrew Lane. Dr. Lane is accessible on a collaborative basis to assist with design of experiments and data interpretation. The laboratory manager provides assistance with the performance of experiments. The 650 Mhz NMR instrument is a 4-channel Varian Inova 14.1 T system, equipped with a cold probe, 5 and 8 mm inverse probes, a 3 mm flow probe and flow system, automatic sample changer and HPLC. This configuration enables a wide range of 3D experiments to be carried out on isotopically-labeled proteins including deuterium decoupling. The cold probe gives a welcome increase in sensitivity which is especially valuable for less soluble proteins or complexes, larger systems and metastable systems such as bicelles used for ordering and measurement of dipolar couplings. An 18.8 T system has been been installed recently and is particularly useful in the study of larger proteins and complexes using the TROSY technique. A comprehensive protein expression laboratory is located within the Brown Cancer Center and is fully equipped to do large scale protein preparations and purifications. Equipment for biophysical analysis is being purchased with institutional funds and a pending small instrumentation grant. This includes an analytical ultracentrifuge. The Structural Biology Core Facility will be available to all members of the MT-COBRE and will provide important support for structural determinations and inhibitor design.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter