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Identification of nuclear receptor ligands by Differential Scanning Fluorimetry(DSF) (CAT#: STEM-MB-0768-WXH)

Introduction

Identification of ligands that interact with nuclear receptors is both a major biological problem and an important initial step in drug discovery.
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are transcription factors found in all metazoa that regulate a wide variety of cellular, physiological and developmental processes. Canonically, the activities of NRs are modulated by interactions between small-molecule ligands and a structurally-conserved ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the NR, inducing conformational changes that result in new interaction surfaces for the recruitment of transcriptional coactivators and/or corepressors. The intrinsic chemical properties of known NR ligands, in particular, with most possessing the ability to diffuse readily through both aqueous and membranous environments, make them highly effective intercellular signaling molecules.




Principle

Differential Scanning Fluorimetry measures protein thermal unfolding by monitoring changes in fluorescence emission of a sample upon heating. This allows the determination of protein thermostability and complex formation even with weakly binding ligands by thermal shift assay. Differential Scanning Fluorimetry is therefore ideally suited for screening of optimum buffer conditions like pH, buffer composition and ionic strength. The technique is applicable to any biological sample, from soluble proteins to integral membrane proteins.

Applications

To identify low-molecular-weight ligands that bind and stabilize purified proteins.
To measure the denaturation and unfolding of proteins.

Procedure

1. Preparation of compound solutions
2. Preparation of buffer/additive screen plates
3. Preparation of compound storage plates
4. Equipment preparation
5. Sample preparation
22. Performing the scan

Materials

Real-time PCR instrument
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