CORE--BIOPOLYMER LABORATORY

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The synthesis and analysis of biopolymers (DNA, RNA, protein) is an essential component of modern experimental biology. The MIT CCR has operated the Biopolymers Core Facility since 1989. Its mission is to provide CCR members and their laboratories with access to cutting-edge methods in biopolymer-related research by maintaining state of the art instrumentation, along with the technical and intellectual expertise necessary to operate it, in a single location. The Biopolymers Core Facility offers a wide range of activities from standard, commonly-used services, which are charged at highly competitive rates, to high-end techniques that include the synthesis of specialized, custom reagents and instrumentation-based protein analysis. Specific services include: (1) DNA sequencing and fragment analysis, (2) synthesis of peptides on large and small scales, including rapid small-scale-parallel synthesis of up to 96 peptides simultaneously, and synthesis of peptide libraries, (3) synthesis of peptide filter arrays, (4) protein/peptide purification by HPLC, (5) enzymatic digestion of proteins for sequencing, identification, and analysis of posttranslational modifications, (6) peptide and protein microsequencing, and (7) mass spectrometry analyses including electrospray ionization/triple quadrapole mass spectrometry, electrospray ionization/2-D linear ion trap mass spectrometry, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Price comparisons show that the cost of these services to CCR researchers is highly competitive with those charged by other academic or commercial sources both within the Boston/Cambridge area and nationwide.