The unit maintains and develops instruments used at the Institute of Biomedicine to express, purify and analyse proteins. The unit collaborates with other protein chemistry players of the BioCity Turku research network. The focal point of the unit is to purify proteins and to analyze the protein quality with a number of different biochemical and biophysical methods. The unit distributes knowledge for research groups on protein chemistry.
Typical project assisted by the unit includes cloning of the expression vector, pilot expression tests, scale-up, protein extraction and purification as well as biochemical and biophysical analyses of protein quality (e.g. DSF and SEC-MALS).
The unit currently uses a number of different Escherichia coli- and Pichia pastoris-based systems to express proteins.
The main instruments of the unit
- Infors HT Multitron Standard Incubation Shaker (cooling, for big volumes e.g. 6 x 4 L Erlenmeyer-bottles)
- Avestin Emulsiflex C3 High Pressure Homogenizer (lysis of expression host cells, including Pichia)
- Bandelin Sonoplus HD4100 Ultrasonic Homogenizer (lysis of expression host cells)
- Äkta Pure 25 M1 kromatography-system
- Wyatt miniDAWN TREOS II + Wyatt Optilab T-rEX (SEC-MALS analytics).
The main chromatography columns
Typically for stages after the primary purifcation (e.g. with Ni-NTA-, amylose-, glutathione-resin)
- preparative (size exclusion): HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-100 HR, HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-200 HR, HiPrep 16/60 Sephacryl S-400 HR, HiPrep 26/60 Sephacryl S-300 HR, HiLoad 16/600 Superdex 200pg ja HiPrep 26/60 Sephacryl S-100 HR
- preparative (ion exchange): HiPrep Q HP 16/10 ja HiPrep SP HP16/10
- analytical (size exclusion): Superdex Peptide 10/300 GL, Superdex 200 Increase 10/300 GL ja Superdex 75 Increase 10/300 GL.
Contact person: Arto Pulliainen