Current Proteomics - Volume 4, Issue 1, 2007

Almost two decades after the introduction of the electrospray ionization (ESI) and the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) techniques, mass spectrometry (MS) has become a key technology in the emerging field of proteomics. MS-based procedures combined with various affinity-trapping methods allowed massive identification of constitutive elements in multi-protein complexes from different organ Read More

Protein-protein interactions play a central role in many cellular processes. Their characterisation is necessary in order to analyse these processes and for the functional identification of unknown proteins. Existing detection methods such as the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and tandem affinity purification (TAP) method provide a means to answer rapidly questions regarding protein-protein interactions, but have limitations which Read More

With the completion of genome projects for Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa and several other plant species, an increasing number of whole genome sequences are now available for plants. In this post-genomic era, a more thorough understanding of gene expression and function can be achieved through the characterization of the products of expression, the proteins, which are essential biological determinants of plant p Read More

Protein structure and stability rely on the interplay of a large number of weak molecular interactions working in concert to assure a stable and unique native fold. Throughout evolution, different strategies have been devised to modulate protein conformational stability and enhance function and survival of proteins even under adverse conditions. The increasing number of characterized genomes and proteomes, especially th Read More

Two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) maps represent an unavoidable tool in many fields connected with proteome research, such as development of new diagnostic assays or new drugs. Unfortunately the information contained in the maps is often so complex that its recognition and extraction usually requires complex statistical treatments. Statistics accompanies many phases of 2D-PAGE map Read More