Summary and notes on the chapter “Amino acid analysis and sequencing” of (Concepts of Protein technology and applications: Partim Boonen)

Amino acid analysis

Receptor Biology Lab
University of Antwerp
Prof. Stuart Maudsley

, AA analyses and AA sequencing
are two different techniques

AA analysis – methodology used to determine the
AA composition or content of proteins,
peptides and pharmaceutical preparations


AA sequencing – identifies the exact primary
AA sequence of a protein/peptide

,What can Amino Acid Analysis (AAA) do for you ?
Can give you an exact knowledge of protein AA quantities =
required for further protein chemistry applications.

Allows measurement of relative amino acid composition of proteins and
complex protein mixtures

Facilitates measurement of free amino acids in media/fluids

Estimate amounts of contaminating protein in DNA and other non-protein
samples

Very accurate quantification: E.g. isotopically labeled internal standards
used for absolute quantification in LC-MS are calibrated by AAA

, What can Amino Acid Analysis (AAA) do for you ?
Facilitates measurement of free amino acids in media/fluids, e.g. in PKU

PKU = phenylketonuria, a genetic metabolic disease
During development PKU children cannot ingest Phe
(potentially life-threatening). Thus detection of Phe in
food/drugs is vital


normal


PKU
Phenylalanine
hydroxylase
deficiency