Methods and Applications of Amino Acid Sequencing: Deep Insights into Protein Structure and Function

Amino acid sequence determination, also known as protein sequencing or amino acid sequencing, is a technique for determining the exact order of amino acid residues in a protein. This order is crucial for understanding the structure, function, and role of the protein in the organism. Below are some of the main techniques for amino acid sequence determination:

 

Edman Degradation

This is a classic protein sequencing method that selectively removes amino acids from the N-terminus of a protein and identifies them. This process can be repeated to gradually determine the sequence of the entire amino acid chain. However, the drawback of this method is that it is usually only applicable to shorter peptide fragments.

 

Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is now one of the preferred techniques for protein sequencing, especially for long-chain proteins. The protein or peptide is first cut into shorter fragments by enzymatic or chemical methods. These fragments can be accurately determined by mass spectrometric analysis, which can infer the amino acid sequence. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a particularly powerful technique in this field.

 

DNA Sequencing and Genomic Information

By sequencing the gene that encodes a specific protein, the amino acid sequence of the protein can be indirectly determined. This is accomplished by converting the sequenced nucleotide sequence into the corresponding amino acid sequence (also known as translation).

 

Amino acid sequence determination is critically important for multiple fields, including biomedical research, drug development, disease diagnosis, and systems biology. Understanding the exact amino acid sequence of a protein helps reveal its function, activity, structure, and interactions with other proteins.