Proteomics
Proteomics
The study of proteins and their
interactions within a biological system is termed proteomics. The
identity, concentration and variant of a protein within a system gives
biologists information about how the genome has been expressed within that system
and under those conditions.
The proteome will vary between organisms,
between cell types within that organism, and even between two cells of the same
type within the same organism.
Therefore, while the genome can be studied
to understand the probabilities of biological activity within a system, the
proteome offers a snapshot of ‘what actually happened’.
Current methods of studying proteins
The range of current methods to study
proteins currently includes:
- Antibodies: confirming the presence of a
specific protein in a sample by using an antibody that binds exclusively to
that protein
- ELISA: to confirm the identity and
understand the concentration of a protein
- Electrophoretic separation: This technique
can separate similar proteins according to their charge and mass
- Mass spectrometry, where a protein is
identified by breaking it down into smaller components whose individual masses
are measured
Each of these methods has limitations.
These might include cost, time, complexity of workflow, insufficient
specificity, the inability to quantify the target analyte, the inability to
differentiate between modified forms of a protein.
The Oxford Nanopore technology platform has
the potential to address some of these existing technology limitations and the Company
is currently exploring potential developments in this area.
Click here for more details on
Oxford Nanopore’s approach to protein analysis.
