We propose to establish a Molecular Resources Core Laboratory (MRCL), with the specific purpose of providing essential reagents, services and assistance with methodologies in support of the six subcomponents of the SCOR. This MRCL is designed as a centralized facility for the instrumentation, specialized molecular biology expertise, and the reagents in order to make it extremely cost effective and highly efficient. MRCL will help in the design and synthesis of oligonucleotides to be used as primers, probes and antisense reagents. We will also provide synthetic oligopeptides and site-specific variants of these peptides to be used as immunogens and as probes in the molecular dissection of the immunological interactions involved in the initiation of immune response or tolerance. A number of specialized vectors for cloning and expression of selected cDNAs, restriction enzymes, and radiolabeled reagents will be prepared and stored in the Core facility and made available to the SCOR investigators. In addition, we will help the principal investigators of the individual projects in carrying out some of the more specialized experiments involving cloning, expression, site-specific mutagenesis of various cDNAs, and other nucleic acid manipulations. Finally, MRCL personnel will be involved in purification, molecular characterization and microsequencing of the rare polypeptide products (e.g. transacting proteins involved in transcriptional control of collagen gene expression). The MRCL, which replaces the Protein Chemistry Core established as part of the earlier funded SCOR, is envisioned to be a microchemical facility with much greater scope to fully satisfy the needs of the current SCOR.
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