Protein Analysis and Purification: Benchtop Techniques

New technologies and the manner in which scientific research is conducted have been fully incorporated into this thoroughly revised second edition of PROTEIN ANALYSIS AND PURIFICATION. Among the many topics introduced to this new edition are the use of robotics in the lab, the impact of the codification of the human genome, functional proteomics, mass spectrometry, and the expanding use of bioinformatics as a tool to improve efficiency and productivity. The author has also included an annotated appendix of the educational materials and technical databases available online to enhance the researcher's benchside access to the latest resources. With solid explanations of the science asking the "why" and literally dozens of step-by-step protocols providing the "how," this new edition is a complete resource for the benchside.

How one goes about analyzing proteins is a constantly evolving field that is no longer solely the domain of the protein biochemist. Investi- gators from diverse disciplines find themselves with the unanticipated task of identifying and analyzing a protein and studying its physical properties and biochemical interactions. In most cases, the ultimate goal remains understanding the role(s) that the target protein is playing in cellular physiology. It was my intention that this manual would make the initial steps in the discovery process less time consuming and less intimidating. This book is not meant to be read from cover to cover. The expanded Table of Contents and the index should help locate what you are seeking. My aim was to provide practically oriented information that will assist the experimentalist in benchtop problem solving. The appendices are filled with diverse information gleaned from catalogs, handbooks, and manuals that are presented in a distilled fashion designed to save trips to the library and calls to technical service representatives. The user is encouraged to expand on the tables and charts to fit individual experimental situations. This second edition pays homage to the computer explosion and the various genome projects that have revolutionized how benchtop scientific research is performed. Bioinformatics and In silica science are here to stay. However, the second edition still includes recipes for preparing buffers and methods for lysing cells.

Fully revised and newly enhanced, PROTEIN ANALYSIS AND PURIFICATION provides the research with the most complete picture of the state of the art technology and this expanding and dynamic field. Now enhanced with data on mass spectrometry techniques, the use of robotics and in silicon science, and in appendix of online databases, this new edition provides the most current, complete, and user-friendly bench side resource to both the experienced research and the novice investigator.

This comprehensive, practical, and user-friendly manual is designed to be a practical progression of experimental protocols that an inexperienced investigator may follow when embarking on a biochemical or biotechnology project. It will also appeal to experienced researches and graduate students as a benchtop handbook which, without sacrificing scientific concepts, maintains the spirit of experimentation.

An Overview of this Manual.- Protein Structure.- Tracking the Target Protein.- Electrophoretic Techniques.- Getting Started with Protein Purification.- Membrane Proteins.- Transfer and Detection of Proteins on Membrane Supports.- Identification of the Target Protein.- Identifying and Analyzing Posttranslational Modifications.- Chromatography.- Recombinant Protein Techniques.- Appendix.