This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Funding is provided for installation of a 900 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer into the Biomolecular NMR Facility at Vanderbilt University. This spectrometer will be used primarily for multidimensional solution NMR studies of the structures and interactions of biomacromolecules and is expected to have a broad impact on scientific research, education, and training at Vanderbilt. In addition, this instrument will be made available to scientists with justified need throughout the mid-south region of the US. The available instrument time for the new 900 will be divided among the five major users (70%), other Vanderbilt users (10%), outside users (15%), and for training (5%). Projects include: (i) Studies of large micellar complexes of integral membrane proteins such as diacylglycerol kinase, the amyloid precursor protein, and G protein coupled receptors, as well as a large soluble receptor-effector proteins, such as arrestins. (ii) Application of solution NMR to protein-protein complexes and multi-domain proteins involved in Ca2+ signaling, protein ubiquitination, and DNA replication, damage response and repair. (iii) Characterization of the detailed chemistry and conformations of DNA adducts formed by reaction of nucleic acids with electrophiles, a major cause of genetic lesions in biology. (iv) Studies of the structures of designed proteins with internal symmetry. (v) Use of NMR to characterize bacterial two-component signaling, including large protein-protein and protein-DNA complexes. The 900 MHz spectrometer will broadly impact research and education by: (i) Enabling major discoveries in structural biology, as well as complementing and extending discoveries being made in other major research initiatives. (ii) Improving the quality of research training for students pursuing advanced degrees. (iii) Enhancing the academic research infrastructure of Vanderbilt University and furthering the academic research infrastructure of the mid-south region of the US. (iv) Attracting students and other trainees, particularly from underrepresented groups and women, to science and engineering. The role of the 900 MHz NMR spectrometer in furthering these goals will be actively promoted through the participation of the users group and NMR Facility staff in a variety of new and existing outreach programs.
