Most of you must have heard about the sequencing of DNA and RNA. And they are known, consist of amino acids. What is surprising, to determine the amino acid sequence of the proteins of such methods does not yet exist. Or rather, did not exist. Because recently a team of researchers from the United States proposed a way of how to do it. Moreover, the new method allows to study more deeply a number of processes for the first time in 40 years opened the possibility of sequencing.
A new way scientists call “methods of next generation sequencing” — Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). These methods allow to simultaneously analyze multiple molecules of nucleic and amino acids. Looks pretty simple: “a mixture of” acid “cut” in random places on single-stranded pieces. Then they “completed” on the principle of complementarity. That is, a specific acid corresponds to only one kind. Each connection is accompanied by a flash. These flashes are captured and translated code.
In fact, this is nothing new and potim is and conventional sequencing. But a group of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin has adapted these methods for direct protein sequencing. Their approach also uses fluorescent markers, but the molecules do not “understand and build”. They know the pieces by means of special reactions. And flash the from “showdown” recorded by the device. However, this approach complicates the recognition of the fact that can be the small fragments. To solve this problem, scientists are using mass spectrometry. The “extra” part just run it through a spectrometer to determine the conformity of possible combinations of proteins.
Mass sequencing of proteins will help to carry out a deep analysis of a variety of diseases, as well as to learn more about the processes occurring in the body.
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