Comparative Proteomics Laboratory Review

Vocabulary flashcards designed to help with understanding key concepts in the Comparative Proteomics Laboratory.

Quaternary structure

The complex structure of proteins formed from the interaction of multiple polypeptide chains.

Disulfide bonds

Covalent bonds that help stabilize the structure of proteins by linking cysteine residues.

SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate)

A detergent used to denature proteins and impart a negative charge for electrophoresis.

PAGE (Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis)

A technique used to separate proteins based on size by applying an electric current to a gel.

Molecular weight

The mass of a molecule, typically expressed in daltons or kilodaltons (kD).

Dalton

A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights; equivalent to the mass of a hydrogen atom.

Kilodalton (kD)

A unit of molecular weight equal to 1,000 daltons.

Actin and Myosin

Major muscle proteins involved in muscle contraction.

Bio-Safe Coomassie stain

A dye used to visualize proteins in gel electrophoresis, specifically binding to protein molecules.

Cladogram

A diagram used to show the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms based on shared characteristics.

Electrophoresis

The movement of charged particles in a fluid or gel under the influence of an electric field.

Protein denaturation

The process of unfolding protein structures due to external stress or compound, disrupting their native conformations.

Laemmli sample buffer

A solution used to prepare protein samples for SDS-PAGE, containing SDS to denature proteins.

Protein profile

The unique pattern of proteins expressed by a cell or tissue, assessed through techniques like SDS-PAGE.

Precision Plus Protein Kaleidoscope

A set of pre-stained protein standards used for estimating molecular weights in gel electrophoresis.

Tracking dye

A dye added to protein samples that helps visualize the progress of electrophoresis.

Standard curve

A graph plotting known standards against an output variable, used to determine unknown values in experiments.

Gel staining

The process of applying a dye to a gel to visualize proteins after electrophoresis.

Molecular analysis

The study of the molecular composition and structure of substances, often to determine relationships in biological systems.

Laemmli method

The method developed by U.K. Laemmli for separating proteins via SDS-PAGE, still widely used in laboratories.