As part of the company's continued support within the field, Malvern
Instruments has published a comprehensive, highly accessible technical note
introducing readers to the basics of protein chemistry. The document, 'An
Introduction to Proteins in 30 minutes' is now available to download from
Malvern's website. http://www.malvern.com/malvern/kbase.nsf/allbyno/KB001928/$file/MRK1198-02.pdf
Covering protein composition and structure, the paper also includes measurement
and characterization techniques. As an instrument manufacturer, Malvern has
extensive experience in how size, molecular weight and zeta potential measurements
can aid both manufacturers and researchers working with proteins.
While Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is a relatively recent technique in the
field of proteins, the lessons learned from materials science and other fields
are helpful to protein chemists. Malvern's Zetasizer software, for example,
has a model to predict a protein's molecular weight from hydrodynamic
size measurements. Size measurements can also be used as a predictor of structural
activity. In conditions of extreme temperature and pH a protein will become
denatured. By measuring hydrodynamic radius using DLS, this behaviour can be
understood and controlled, enabling establishment of the protein's melting
point, for example.
Other techniques, such as Static Light Scattering (SLS), Size Exclusion Chromatography
(SEC) and the measurement of zeta potential as an indication of surface charge
are also covered by Malvern's new technical note. A highly useful introduction
for newcomers into the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology,
Malvern also anticipates that the download will be a useful tool to highlight
the benefits of characterization instrumentation among protein chemistry experts.
http://www.malvern.com/malvern/kbase.nsf/allbyno/KB001928/$file/MRK1198-02.pdf