Proteomics2 -its application
Proteomics as the Bridge between Genomics and Biology
In order to better understand obesity biology and to accelerate the development of both obesity diagnostics and therapeutics, biological insight from genomic analysis is being integrated with the analysis of protein content in adopocyte.
By understanding the protein components resulting from genetic aberrations in obesity, scientists can begin to piece together what changes are occurring in a obese proteome.
What Tools are Utilized in Proteomics?
Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an evolving technology that allows scientists to detect and quantify proteins in a complex biological matrix. Such methods are very precise, distinguishing proteins that differ in composition by a single hydrogen atom, the smallest atom. Despite its potential, MS technologies are not yet capable of separating the complex protein mixtures from unprocessed human biospecimens. Additional technologies such as organelle or protein fractionation or affinity capture have been developed to reduce the complexity of proteins in biospecimens by enriching for a subset of proteins of interest, in addition to improving the sensitivity of instrumentation for detection and quantification of proteins.
Protein Microarrays
Protein microarrays are powerful tools for capturing and measuring proteins from biospecimen in a high throughput fashion. A protein microarray typically consists of a small piece of glass or plastic coated with thousands of "capture reagents" (molecules that can "grab" specific proteins). This technology allows scientists to isolate and study many potential biomarker proteins. Protein microarrays can be miniaturized to contain tens of thousands of capture features arranged in a grid, each specific for a given protein, therefore, they are considered a multiplexed device – for example, they can test for multiple biomarkers simultaneously, which is essential for clinical use.
Nanotechnologies
Nanotechnology is the creation of manufacturing devices and components that range from 1 to 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, or 1/80,000 the width of a human hair. Nanotechnology devices have the potential to greatly expand the capabilities of proteomics, addressing current limitations in selectively reaching a target protein in vivo through physical and biological barriers, detecting low abundance targets, and providing a "toolbox" to translate the discovery of protein biomarkers to novel therapeutic and diagnostic tests. Typical nano-devices include nanoparticles used for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, energy-based therapeutics (including heat and radiation) and imaging contrast reagents. Nanowires and nanocantilever arrays can be used in biosensors that measure minute quantities of biomarkers in biological fluids.
Reference
https://proteomics.cancer.gov/whatisproteomics
