High Stability Metal-Protein Interactions Evaluated by Microcalorimetry
Abstract
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 and the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Act for 2014 allocated $10.7M to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) and to enhance their research and education capabilities in scientific areas relevant to the defense mission. The FY 2014 program supports the acquisition of research equipment and instrumentation to augment existing capabilities and to develop new capabilities that will facilitate greater participation in DoD research programs and encourage more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This proposal from Principal Investigator, Dr. Ronald Gary, requests funding for the purchase of a MicroCal iTC200 instrument to be used for isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a microcalorimetry technique used to study interactions between biomolecules and ligands in aqueous solution. The spontaneous association of any two molecules is a thermodynamically favorable process with contributions from enthalpy and entropy. ITC measures enthalpy changes during molecular binding events, and enables the determination of affinity constants, binding stoichiometries, association and dissociation rate constants, and other fundamental parameters. The functionality of proteins is often closely tied to their associations with metal ion co-factors. This project will use ITC to investigate an unusually stable and potentially novel type of metal-protein interaction involving Be2+. The discovery and characterization of long-lived or quasi-irreversible associations between specific metal ions and specific protein-based binding partners would create new opportunities in the fields of biomaterials, biomolecular organization, and nanoscale engineering. Expertise gained from this project will also facilitate the utilization of the ITC instrumentation by the broader research community at UNLV. Biomolecular interaction is a common element unifying the research interests of many investigators at UNLV. The institution has a very strong tradition of involving undergraduate students in research experiences, and it is expected that both undergraduate and graduate students would benefit from the availability of state-of-the-art microcalorimetry equipment for ITC studies. The ITC instrumentation requested in this application will significantly enhance the educational opportunities and research capabilities of UNLV in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 12, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1510043
Entities
People
- Ronald K. Gary
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas