Calculateur du pI, de la masse moléculaire et du coefficient d'extinction des protéines
- What is the isoelectric point (pI) of a protein?
- Proteins are amphoteric electrolytes composed of amino acids that contain positively charged amino groups (-NH3+) and negatively charged carboxyl groups (-COO-). The charge state of a protein molecule varies with pH. The isoelectric point (pI) is defined as the specific pH at which the net electrical charge of the protein is zero.
- What is protein molecular weight (MW)?
- Proteins are macromolecules in which numerous amino acid residues are linked by peptide bonds— covalent bonds formed via dehydration condensation between the α-carboxyl group of one amino acid and the α-amino group of another. The molecular weight (MW) of a protein is the sum of the molecular weights of its constituent amino acid residues and represents a fundamental physicochemical parameter. The standard unit is the Dalton (Da, or D), defined as 1/12 the mass of a carbon-12 atom (1 Da = 1/NA g, where N is Avogadro's constant). As a general approximation, protein molecular weight can be estimated by multiplying the number of amino acid residues by 110.
- What is the molar extinction coefficient of a protein?
- The protein extinction coefficient (also known as the molar extinction coefficient, ε) represents the absorbance of a 1 M protein solution measured at a specific wavelength using a 1 cm pathlength. Its conventional units are M-1 cm-1 or L mol-1 cm-1. This parameter quantifies the capacity of a protein to absorb light at a given wavelength and is critical for bioanalytical applications, including protein concentration determination, purity assessment, and the study of protein–molecule interactions.
- What should be considered when using recombinant proteins for SPR assays?
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- 1. Purity and homogeneity: Protein purity should exceed 90% with no visible aggregates. Higher sample purity reduces non-specific binding and background signal.
- 2. Buffer composition: Carefully review the protein buffer formulation, paying particular attention to the presence of glycerol, imidazole, reducing agents, DMSO, or surfactants, as these may interfere with chip immobilization or binding kinetics.
- 3. Affinity tags: Confirm whether the protein carries a His-tag or other affinity tag, as this dictates the optimal immobilization strategy.
MCE also provides SPR detection services. For further details, please refer to our service page: Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Assay Services.
The 20 Proteinogenic Amino Acids
Nomenclature, Single-Letter/Three-Letter Codes, and Molecular Weights
| Amino Acid | 3-Letter Code | 1-Letter Code | Average MW (Da) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycine | Gly | G | 75.07 |
| Alanine | Ala | A | 89.09 |
| Leucine | Leu | L | 131.17 |
| Isoleucine | Ile | I | 131.17 |
| Valine | Val | V | 117.15 |
| Cysteine | Cys | C | 121.16 |
| Methionine | Met | M | 149.21 |
| Serine | Ser | S | 105.09 |
| Threonine | Thr | T | 119.12 |
| Aspartic acid | Asp | D | 133.10 |
| Amino Acid | 3-Letter Code | 1-Letter Code | Average MW (Da) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glutamic acid | Glu | E | 147.13 |
| Asparagine | Asn | N | 132.12 |
| Glutamine | Gln | Q | 146.14 |
| Arginine | Arg | R | 174.20 |
| Lysine | Lys | K | 146.19 |
| Histidine | His | H | 155.15 |
| Proline | Pro | P | 115.13 |
| Phenylalanine | Phe | F | 165.19 |
| Tyrosine | Tyr | Y | 181.19 |
| Tryptophan | Trp | W | 204.23 |