This proposal describes the establishment of a protein microsequencing core facility at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. A gas-phase protein sequencer and HPLC amino acid analyzer will endow the existing sequencing facility with the capacity for analysis in the subnanomolar range. Current equipment does not have the sensitivity or capacity required to meet the needs of a large number of NIH-supported research projects, and it is not capable of being upgraded to the needed sensitivity. State-or-the-art biotechnological and molecular biological research requires compositional and sequence analysis of peptides and proteins obtainable only in small quantity for characterization and for production of genetic probes. The equipment will support 26 projects submitted from 6 departments of the Health Science Centers and from the University of Texas at San Antonio. It will also support future projects anticipated to be catalyzed by the capabilities of the facility. The microsequencing facility is envisioned to be a component in a Biopolymer Sequencing/Synthesis Facility that will make available modern technology for protein analysis, DNA synthesis, and peptide synthesis to meet the demands of the research community of the Health Science Center and the San Antonio area.
