Call for applications to the Membrane Protein Laboratory at Diamond
Applications are invited for proposals to use the Membrane Protein
Laboratory (MPL) at Diamond Light Source Ltd.
Closing date for applications: 28th July, 2009.
MPL website: http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/MPL.html
The MPL is a user facility open to anyone who is studying membrane
proteins. It is a fully equipped laboratory for expression,
purification, crystallisation and structure determination for
membrane proteins. Applications can be made to the MPL for regular
visits or for a period of up to 3 months to work within the MPL.
Applications are reviewed by our scientific advisory board and visits
can be arranged when applications have been accepted.
The MPL is located in the Diamond Synchrotron in Oxfordshire,
England. It is a collaboration between Prof. So Iwata at Imperial
College and Dame Prof. Louise Johnson and Dr Gwyndaf Evans at Diamond.
What does the MPL offer to users:
Equipment:
The MPL all the necessary equipment for expression, purification
and crystallisation including
· A high-throughput sitting drop crystallisation robot
· Fluidigm Topaz microfluidics system
· The PX scanner system for testing diffraction from crystals in
96 well plates.
· Microscopes with a fluorescence adaption for crystal insection
· The Caffrey cubic phase robot for crystallisation in lipidic
cubic phase with 50nl drops.
Training:
· Training in crystallisation is provided by Dr Momi Iwata, Dr
Liz Carpenter and Miss Tian Geng. Momi in particular has extensive
experience in crystallizing membrane proteins and she can help users
obtain the best from their proteins.
· In addition to the MPL crystallisation facility we can also
offer advice and assistance with expression of membrane proteins in
E. coli and S. cerevisiae, and
purification of membrane proteins (Drew et al., Protein Science, 14,
2011-2017, 2005; Drew et al., Nature Methods, 3, 303-313, 2006;
Newstead et al., PNAS, 104, 13936-13941, 2007; Drew et al., Nature
Protocols, 3, 784-798, 2008).
· Membrane protein structures can be difficult to solve as the
data is often low resolution and anisotropic. Members of the group
have experience in solving structures using such data, eg the
hydantoin transporter (Science, Vol. 322, pp. 709 – 71, 2008) and
can provide assistance and training to MPL users.
How to apply:
Initially please email [email protected] to see if your
project is suitable.
Please complete the application forms and safety docs on this web
page: http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/MPL/user.html
Return these docs by email to [email protected] by the
28th of July 2009.
Time will be allocated for this round of applications in September
2009.
