Proteins form very important building blocks for all living organisms. These are used within the metabolic process within the cells of these living organisms. The scientific study of such components is called proteomics and this remains important in determining the normal functioning of the cells.
This study was carried out for the first time in 1997. This was begun as a comparison to the study of genes which was called genomics. While studying these proteins proteomes can be derived which are a modification of a particular set of proteins.
Genomics is comparatively less complex. The proteome is not distinct as is the case with the gene. The former varies from one cell to the other and also over time. On the other hand the gene is discrete for specific cell types.
The modification process is one of the approaches used to study these proteins. Phosphorylation is a chemically induced modification that is used to change the behavior of certain protein types. This procedure affects the enzymes and associated protein structures. As a result the protein becomes an attachment point for various types of proteins.
The modification process has a number of approaches. Generally besides the phosphorylation procedure there is the ubiquitination. In order to accomplish this procedure a tiny protein type called ubiquitin is bound to another group of substrates. The E3 ubiquitin ligase enzyme is used to catalyze the process. Presently the number of singular protein types is in excess of twenty thousands coming to about twenty five thousands. This is the count in the human proteome. However with the use of other methods like RNA splicing this protein count is likely to rise beyond half a million types. Indeed while using the post translational modification the figure may even be higher slightly over one million.
As such carrying out this protein study is a complex procedure. It may require the development of an antibody that is unique to the protein under study. In the sugar modification process glycosylation of the protein is carried out where lectin is introduced and bonds with the sugar. The results from this study have far reaching benefits to many different fields. This includes the pharmacy field where drug formulations can be made more effective based on the outcome of such studies.
Proteomics is generally a complex process. However this procedure is thought to give a better understanding of the metabolic pathway when compared to genomics. A successful study mainly considers the protein status during the post translational modifications. As such this study is keen on identifying which proteins interact after modifications. This is achieved using methods like microscale thermophoresis protein microways and the traditional method which is two hybrid analysis a yeast based procedures.
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