Measuring Equilibrium Binding Affinity of Biological Macromolecules in Solution by Thermophoresis

Abstract

The primary research focus of the San Diego State University (SDSU) Structural Biochemistry Laboratory led by Dr. Tom Huxford is tounderstand how the assembly of macromolecular complexes gives rise to fundamental healing processes such as inflammation in response totrauma or infection and the repair of damaged muscles. The goal of this proposal was to secure funds for the acquisition and implementationof a NanoTemper Technologies Monolith NT.115 Thermophoresis instrument. The instrument, which is one of the first of its kind to beacquired and implemented within the state of California, permits rapid and accurate measurement of equilibrium binding affinities ofbiological macromolecules in solution. This qauntitative information plays a vital role in supporting the static structural data that researchersin the lab typically obtain through x-ray crystallography. Thus far, the instrument has been used to measure dimerization, DNA binding, andco-activator binding by transcription factor NF-kappaB binding. Initial studies have also begun that are attempting to measure theinteraction of myosin motor proteins with the muscle assembly and repair chaperone protein UNC-45.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 18, 2015
Accession Number
AD1001109

Entities

People

  • Tom Huxford

Organizations

  • San Diego State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Agreements
  • Biochemistry
  • Birds
  • Chemistry
  • Crystal Structure
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineering
  • Macromolecules
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement
  • Proteins
  • Students
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Surface Plasmons
  • Temperature Gradients
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.
  • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
  • Research Science/Academic Research