After protein purification the next step in the path toward a structure is crystallization. Crystallization requires ultra pure protein. Usually three or more columns are run to obtain high quality protein. A combination of affinity columns, columns that separate based on charge or hydrophobicity, and size exclusion columns are all utilized to produce as pure a protein product as possible. Protein quality can be verified by overloading an SDS Page coomassie stained gel, then looking for only one protein band. While crystallization is a purification step, rarely do mixed protein species generate diffraction quality crystals.
The Structure Biology Core has two TTP LabTech mosquito robots, and a Rigaku Alchemist II, Minstrel system supported with Crystal Trak software, is also available through the core. These robots can be used by Structural Biology Core Members.
To use the robots contact:
Mosquito Clinical Sciences Research Building 7702
Email Contact Rick Stegeman
Molecular Microbiology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Mosquito South Building
Email Contact Dr. Weikai Li
Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
Rigaku Minstrel & Alchemist Systems Clinical Sciences Research Building 7705
Email Contact Rick Stegeman
Pathology & Immunology