Biological Deuteration Laboratories

Contact: Professor Peter Holden

Phone: + 61 2 9717 3991

Email: ndf-enquiries@ansto.gov.au

Three laboratories house the infrastructure for production, purification and characterisation of deuterated biomolecules. The facilities include microbiological preparation area, 15L, 5L and 2 L (x 6) bioreactors for growth of deuterated microbial biomass from organic carbon sources in D2O.

We also have a photo-bioreactor for production of algal biomass which can be used as (a) a source of deuterated molecules for purification for either structural studies using neutrons or NMR or for further chemical separation into deuterated components such as amino acids or lipids to be supplied to the chemical deuteration facility (b) a source of cheap deuterated feedstock for bacterial deuteration systems.

Biomass can be broken using a French Press or an ultrasonic probe and sub-cellular components harvested using either a high speed centrifuge or preparative ultracentrifuge.

The labs possess state-of-the-art AKTA chromatography systems (at ambient temperature or 4oC) with on-line light scattering and Experion lab-on-a-chip electrophoresis to confirm molecular identity.

Deuterated products can be characterised using a Circular Dichroism spectrometer (Jasco J 815) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC); an Isothermal Scanning Calorimeter and an LC-MS/MS will be acquired

 

Phase 1: D proteins, D nucleic acids, D lipids D polysaccharides

Phase 2: Purification

Phase 3 - Characterization