Proteomics, Genomics & Bioinformatics

Protein Sequencing

Protein Sequencing

Protein sequencing is the technique of determining the amino acid sequence of a protein or peptide in its entirety or in part. This could be used to identify the protein or define the post-translational alterations it has undergone. Partially sequencing a protein usually offers enough information (one or more sequence tags) to identify it using databases of protein sequences acquired via conceptual gene translation. Mass spectrometry and Edman degradation with a protein sequenator are the two most common direct methods of protein sequencing (sequencer). Although mass spectrometry is now the most extensively used approach for protein sequencing and identification, Edman degradation is still a useful tool for determining a protein's N-terminus.