Technology development

The ideology behind our technology Bernhard Rupp

As a part of our support function for the TB structural genomics consortium, we have developed affordable, modular technology and protocols for high automated throughput structure determination. The goal is to keep the price of each component below $100k and thus allow any academic institution to benefit from automation of rote tasks in protein structure determination - and to use graduate student talent more productively used than in the rote, repetitive work cycles of crystallization.

• Provide modular design so that separate but compatible modules can be acquired
• Keep the price tag below $100k
• Allow free access for academics to instrumentation design
• Protect IP assets by patenting and licensing to Biotech industry.

Examples of instrumentation developed at the TBCF

• CRYSTOOL customizable random screening protocol
• Interface of CRYSTOOL to liquid handling systems for automated crystallization cocktail production
• Development of the HYDRA+1 crystallization robot for fast setup of 500nl drops in 96 well INTELLIPLATES
• Adapt the VersaScan system for automated 96 well image acquisition and crystal recognition (CRYSFIND)
• Designed with Art Robbins the 96 well INTELLIPLATE (available from Hampton Research)
• Peltier driven sample cooler for SBS format
• Developed a crystallization pre-screening kit (CYSTOOL PreScreen) to allow quick estimate of concentration range suitable for crystallization
• Implemented a bias removal and automated Molecular Replacement server for the TB consortium
• Crystallization predictor using pI as a prior information (CRYSPRED)
• Development of second generation 96+1 contactless microsolenoid dispenser for nanoliter volumes with Innovadyne

Publications

Records of inventions and patent applications (TB funding period from FY2000 on only)

• Ring Femtosecond Laser-Electron X-ray (ReFLEX) Source. Hartemann FV, Baldis HA, Barty C, Gibson DJ and Rupp B.  US patent pending (2001) 

• Protein Crystallography PreScreen Kit. H.Krupka, B.Segelke, B.Rupp. Record of Invention, Case No. IL-10922 (2001), US patent application filed 

• A compact Peltier driven protein sample cooling system with standard SBS footprint. B.Rupp, H.Krupka, D.Noecker. Record of Invention, Case No. IL-10920 (2001)

• Automated macromolecular crystallization screening. BW Segelke, HI Krupka and B Rupp. Record of Invention IL-10986 (2002), US patent application filed

• Augmented Automated Macromolecular Crystal Detection From Light Microscopy Images. AT Christian, BW Segelke, D Toppani and B.Rupp. Record of Invention IL-11022 (2002), US patent application filed. 

Go here to learn more about crystallography.