From: STEVE HARDING <sczsteve@szn1.agric.nottingham.ac.uk>
  To  : rasmb@bbri.harvard.edu
  Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:56:16 GMT

Experiments in glycerol

Dear All
Sorry to interrupt the dialogue on software.  I'm happy to sit on the 
fence so long as I can continue to merrily transfer ASCII data to and 
fro to programmes like MSTAR (plug) etc.

We've been asked to characterise a multi-subunit DNA binding protein 
- the RPO-protein which is extremely unstable even at 4 deg. The guys 
won't let it out of glycerol (20% minimum).  Is there anybody out 
there with experience at working under these viscous 
conditions which seem to me extremely unfriendly to the u/c operator?  
Higher temperature to reduce the viscosity is of course disallowed! Has 
there been anything published on BSA or something?  I guess
 velocity experiments are ruled out and equilibrium will take ages.  Arthur 
(Rowe) has pointed out there may be vbar & dialysis problems too.  

Maybe there's another way of coping with highly unstable materials? 


Thanks
Steve Harding