Combined Correctness Can Enrich Proteomics

Genetic Engineering News, April 1, 2008

Proteomics plays a central role in drug discovery, molecular diagnostics, and the practice of medicine in the postgenomic era. Among all the proteomics technologies, 2-D gel electrophoresis is by far the most commonly used technique for protein separation. In most cases where 2-D gel electrophoresis is employed, the purpose is to find statistically significant differences between predefined conditions. These differences should be related to distinct protein spots that have been correctly detected, matched, and quantified.

To achieve these goals, sophisticated image-analysis algorithms are applied to extract relevant data from complex spot patterns. The acknowledged problems of reproducibility and resolution inherent in the technology present a challenge for any software. As a result, in nearly all cases, the extracted data is partly incorrect and incomplete....Read more

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