Protein Analysis

**Semantic type:** Laboratory Procedure

**Definition:** Analysis of protein components in a sample. The most basic analysis involves determination of the mass or concentration of protein by any of a number of quantitative assays. Increased level of detail in the analysis requires resolution of a mixture into its component proteins. The characterization of a pure protein includes the determination of a number of its properties, among these, the molecular weight, isoelectric point, subunit composition, tryptic map, amino acid composition, amino acid sequence, hydrodynamics (s value, frictional coefficient, shape, aggregation state), thermodynamics (melting, folding, protein-protein interactions), and atomic structure (NMR, diffraction).