Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

The capacity to purify proteins is the corner stone of most biochemical studies. Purified proteins are the enzymes, regulators and chaperone of most biological functions. The ability to quickly and efficiently purify proteins provides powerful tools for studying enzymatic activity, complex formation and a variety of routine biochemical reactions. By using fast liquid chromatography, we developed methods for the purification of several specialized enzymes and proteins including different orthologues of Ribonuclease III, several RNA binding proteins as well as standard enzymes like Taq DNA polymerase and T7 RNA polymerase. We have purified hundreds of proteins for tens of researchers at the Universit de Sherbrooke and coached dozens of graduate students in their studies of protein structure and function. The goal of this application is to replace our liquid chromatography system needed to maintain the protein purification platform as a service at Universit de Sherbrooke. It is essential for our institution to keep its capacity to provide protein purification solutions in order to maintain the NSERC-funded research programs requiring the purification and analysis of proteins. We are requesting funds to replace two AKTA Explorer 100 machines that we have used for the last 13 years to support the study of protein structures and functions. The existing machines are discontinued and spare parts are no longer available for repairs. There are no systems with similar configurations available on campus and without them the whole pipeline of protein purification and analysis essential to complete our NSERC-funded research will cease to function. The new machine will ensure continued service of the 11 RNA labs at the Universit de Sherbrooke and the tens of researchers who are using the protein purification platform across the university. Most importantly, the requested equipment will permit the continuation of our unique graduate training programs focused on the biology of ribonucleoprotein complexes. In short, the requested machines are absolutely needed as replacements for basic equipment essential for supporting the research and training programs funded by NSERC.