Proteomics (Lille)

One of the main objective of ParaFrap was to get mass spectrometers and to train PhD students and postdocs with proteomic workshops specificaly adapted to molecular parasitology. The P3M platform (Plateforme de Protéomique et Peptides Modifiés) was created with funding of the LabEx ParaFrap and additional financial supports from the FEDER-Region Nord Pas de Calais, Lille Métropole Urban Community and Pasteur Institute of Lille, which provides lab spaces. The platform provides new expert skills and services open to academic and industrial research in:

• Identification and characterization of post-translational modifications (PTMs)
• Separation of proteins by liquid chromatography (LC)
• Separation of proteins on 1D and 2D gel electrophoresis followed by Typhoon 9400 scanning
• Analysis by Nano LC-ESI-MS/MS, Nano LC-MALDI-MS/MS and absolute quantification of proteins by MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) using the three mass spectrometers Orbitrap Q Exactive, MALDI TOF/TOF Autoflex and TSQ Endura, respectively
• Identification of Proteins by crossing the data with the protein sequences database with multiple search engines (Mascot, Sequest, OMSSA)

P3M allows the development of a key technology for researchers, for technology transfer / dissemination of knowledge and for valorization of discoveries by industrial partners.

 P3M website

Metabolic (Bordeaux)

The recent development of new NMR methods for measurements, as well as new methods for the analysis and interpretation of complex data sets generated by NMR spectrometry, means that NMR spectrometry approaches are attractive alternatives to MS or that they can be used in combination with MS approaches.

The group of Bordeaux led by Frédéric Bringaud is in close connection to an NMR platform with a long-standing expertise on NMR spectrometry to study end-products excreted from carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism in parasites. The platform acquired a new NMR spectrometer (Bruker Avance III 500 HD) with funding from ParaFrap and the Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine, in order to extend its expertise towards quantitative analyses of intracellular metabolites of unicellular parasites. This equipment is operational since July 2015 with an engineer dedicated to its use and maintenance. Half of the use time of this equipment is reserved to the ParaFrap community at preferential cost.

Sequencing (Université Aix-Marseille)

The INSERM UMR 906 Unit has received from the Labex Parafrap a participation to the cost of DNA sequencing equipments. These machines will be made available to Parafrap members for their own projects.

The activities of the platform are the followings:

• In 2015, targeted sequencing, exome sequencing, small genome sequencing
• In 2016, methylome analysis, RNA sequencing (RNASeq) high through output genotyping.

The available equipments are as follows:

• January 2015: one Ion Proton; one Ion PGM, One Bioanalyseur
• January 2016: in addition to the above mentioned equipment, one Quant studio; one pyromark Q24 one Bioruptor + IP-star (Diagenode).