Comparative Proteomics: Protein Profiler Lab by Jonathan Thulson

Biology 113
October 6, 2013

Lab Partner:
Vernon Morris

INTRODUCTION Proteomics is the study of proteins. Their functions, interactions with other proteins, cellular locations and levels at which they are expressed. The purpose of this lab was to compare the proteins present in different species of fish to be able to determine which species of fish have the closest relation. This can be determined based on which two fish species have the most proteins in common with one another. The Central Dogma of biology is a process in which a gene made of DNA is transcribed by a messenger RNA and then translated into a protein. Based on the Central Dogma of
I could also determine that fish species E (Rockfish) & C (Tuna) and C (Tuna) & G (Halibut) had no bands in common so they were the least similar.
DISCUSSION
This lab went very smoothly until I went to go look at my gel and found out that it was too cluttered to be able to use. I believe that that problem could have been fixed if I ran the gel longer. I think that would have spread the bands out more. I was unable to prove or disprove my thesis due to the fact that trout was not one of the samples that were tested in the gel I had to use to collect my data. But from the data collected I was able to determine that there were three groups of fish that had two bands in common, so they were the closest in relation to one another. Those groups were Salmon & Halibut, Tuna & Tilapia and Rockfish & Halibut. If I was able to use my gel I would have been able to determine if my thesis was valid or not. So the next time I do this lab I am going to make sure that my gel is run for the proper amount of time so that I get clear usable evidence.
Literature Cited
Bio-Rad. 2013 . Comparative Proteomics Kit I: Protein Profiler Module. Student Manual. p. 46
-99.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2013. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (08/2013).

Fig. 1. Picture of Polyacrylamide gel after electrophoresis Fig. 2. Graph of molecular weights and distances traveled in the fish species tested