The Protein Man's Blog | A Discussion of Protein Research

Many high school and college students realize that having research experience in an academic or industry lab has many benefits. Many search for paid or unpaid internships, part-time employment or propose a research project in their instructor’s lab, working independently, applying what they already know and building expertise in experimental design, instrumentation, and data analysis.

Extracting proteins from plants is not the same as extracting proteins from animal sources. There is a very different set of factors that you will need to consider in order to properly process plant proteins. This post explores some of the key ways in which plant-based protein extraction differs from animal-based protein extraction, and details some of the ways you can overcome these differences.

The choice of constant current or constant voltage will depend on several different factors that must be taken into consideration for each Western transfer test. The level of heat, duration of the test, type of proteins, the size of the transfer, and the rate of transfer will all be affected by power, voltage, and current being used to drive the test. Each factor will play a role in how well the proteins transfer and the ultimate accuracy of the test.

Antibodies are used to detect specific proteins during research. There are a variety of tests including the Western blot, that produce a surface area that can contain other proteins and components that need to be blocked. Blocking buffers are used to bind the surface areas that may attach to reagents during the testing process, preventing the non-specific antibodies from interacting with the reagents and causing a poor reading or inaccurate results. Knowing which buffers to use, however, is critical for ensuring the accuracy of a test, as each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.