The Protein Expression Laboratory generates DNA, cell line, and protein reagents for biomedical research from basic science to drug discovery. The team uses cutting-edge protein production technologies to generate proteins using bacteria, insect cells, or mammalian cells at scales from micrograms to grams.
Quality control is a major emphasis of the laboratory, ensuring that all protein reagents pass a series of stringent tests before leaving the group. The laboratory focuses on standardization and improvement to protein production technologies that are shared with the extramural research community.
Novel technologies to boost protein yields and quality
The Protein Expression Laboratory generated a variety of novel protein production technologies to improve protein yields and quality, and reduce the time needed to generate protein reagents. We specialize in challenging protein targets, including multiprotein complexes for structural biology and assay development, along with microscale technologies to minimize the cost and effort in protein production screening while allowing us to test larger numbers of proteins to identify optimal choices before large-scale production.
Collaboration Opportunities
Access to Protein Expression Laboratory services is restricted to NIH/intramural researchers. However, new technologies and materials generated at PEL are available to academic researchers through Materials Transfer Agreements and to for-profit researchers through licensing. In addition, some materials related to COVID-19 protein production are available via Technical Service Agreements.
We are open to collaborations with researchers on technology development projects related to our mission to improve protein production processes. Such collaborations can occur through academic collaboration agreements or cCRADA agreements with for-profit researchers through the Partnership Development Office.
Contact Dr. Dom Esposito to ask about engaging our services.
Technologies for improved protein production in insect cells
Proteins for critical national initiatives
In support of the NCI RAS Initiative, the Protein Expression Laboratory generates reagents for producing multiprotein complexes involved in the RAS activation pathway. These complexes are being investigated to better understand their role in RAS signaling and to determine three-dimensional structures to enable drug discovery.
To assist NCI SeroNet researchers, we generated diverse COVID-19-related proteins for serological assay development and deployment.
Our scientists support the Antivirals for Pandemic Preparedness program with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) by generating recombinant proteins representing potential drug targets of a variety of potentially pandemic viruses.
Publications highlight tech developments
The Protein Expression Laboratory publishes novel technology developments as stand-alone manuscripts and contributes to publications by other RAS Initiative and NIH intramural collaborators in which our distinct if not unique reagents are highlighted.
Reagents for research on RAS and the RAS pathway
Protein production standards for reproducible results
Our capabilities and specializations
Structural biology applications
We produce high-quality individual recombinant proteins and protein complexes and optimize protein constructs using microscale expression and purification to quickly identify the optimal protein domains for production. Proteins can readily be labelled with isotopes.
-
X-ray crystallography
-
Nuclear magnetic resonance
-
Cryo-electron microscopy
Support drug discovery assay development and deployment
We generate proteins with a variety of domain designs and tagging strategies to support biochemical and biophysical drug discovery assays. Our collection of more than 100 different fusion protein tags ranges from various fluorescent proteins to antibody-based detection tags.
-
Surface plasmon resonance
-
Homogenous time-resolved fluorescence
-
Fluorescence polarization
-
Isothermal calorimetry
New technologies for enhanced protein production
We develop new reagents to improve production of proteins from insect cells and use specialized cloning processes to permit multi-gene assembly assist in the production of large multiprotein complexes for structural biology and drug discovery. We use magnetic bead technologies to accelerate protein purification timelines and reduce cost, as well as new expression systems to provide additional options for challenging protein targets.
-
Novel high-producing cell lines
-
Modified DNA constructs for faster and more efficient baculovirus production
-
Chaperones to assist with better recombinant protein folding
