Open AccessImplementing a Hybrid Expression Method That Allows Upper-Division Biochemistry Lab Students To Engage in a Full Protein Production Experience While Allowing Ample Time for Characterization Experiments
Author(s) -
Josiah W. Johnson,
Christian D. Mitchell,
Anna M. Deloach,
Hannah E. Simpson,
Tori B. Dunlap
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of chemical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1938-1328
pISSN - 0021-9584
DOI - 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00674
Subject(s) - lac operon , protein expression , expression (computer science) , exponential growth , function (biology) , characterization (materials science) , biochemistry , computer science , chemistry , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , gene expression , nanotechnology , mathematics , materials science , gene , mathematical analysis , programming language
Protein structure, function, and signaling are a large portion of biochemistry. Because of this, proteins are often used as model systems in biochemistry laboratory courses, where a course-long project might comprise protein expression, purification, and characterization. Two common protein expression methods are isopropyl β -d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction, which utilizes easy-to-make media but requires extensive cell-growth monitoring that is time-intensive, and autoinduction, which employs multicomponent media that are time-consuming to make but require no cell-growth monitoring. A protein expression method that is a hybrid of IPTG induction and autoinduction is presented. The hybrid method utilizes the medium of IPTG induction and the no-cell-growth-monitoring induction process of autoinduction, saving hands-on time in the protein expression phase to allow more time for protein characterization while still having students execute each step.