Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My science fair project involves plant protein isolation/extraction. I would like to know what would be the best method in isolating/extracting a plant protein. Thank you for your advice.

Hi,

My answer is going to depend on whether you are doing this project at home or in a lab with supervision. I could describe a procedure but unless you had the instruments and chemicals to do it that's not going to help you. Protein isolation and detection is really a procedure that needs to be done in a lab because you need several different chemicals, pipetters, a centrifuge, gel electrophoresis set-up, etc.

Usually the first step in doing any extraction is to break up the material thoroughly and plants are difficult in this regard because of all the fibrous parts and the cellulose in the cell walls.

What plant are you using and what part are you trying to extract proteins from? Also, what is your purpose in doing this extraction? Are you trying to isolate a specific protein or just all proteins?

The first step after grinding up the plant material is usually to separate proteins from nucleic acids--RNA and DNA, but if you just want to do a simple chemical indicator test for protein then you could use a procedure like this one: http://csmbio.csm.jmu.edu/biology/cours ... lation.htm

Repost with more information about where you plan to do this work and exactly what you are trying to accomplish and why. That way we will be able to answer your questions better.

Sybee