Does Protein Sequencing Require Purification?

Proteins usually need to be purified before sequencing. Purified protein samples can reduce potential sequencing errors and improve the accuracy of the sequencing results. Therefore, the purification process is an important step in the entire protein sequencing process.

 

The Reason of Protein  Purification

Proteins in organisms usually exist in the form of complex mixtures, which contain a large number of protein types. These proteins may differ in structure, function, and activity. If such a mixture is sequenced directly, the results will be confusing because it would be difficult to accurately determine which sequences correspond to which proteins.

 

How to Purify Proteins

Common protein purification methods include salt precipitation, electrophoresis, chromatography, and immunopurification. Among them, salt precipitation and electrophoresis are based on the physical properties of proteins, such as solubility and charge; while chromatography and immunopurification are based on the biochemical properties of proteins, such as affinity and specificity.

 

Sequencing Steps After Purification

After protein purification, sequencing analysis can be performed. Common protein sequencing methods include the Edman degradation method and mass spectrometry. These methods can provide amino acid sequence information of proteins, helping researchers understand the structure and function of proteins.