Name: measuring protein concentration with absorbance
Uploaded: 2023-04-30T06:31:14.000Z
Duration: 8 min 49 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

High School

Physical Science

waves-and-their-applications-in-technologies-for-information-transfer

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

HS-PS4-4

Photometric Protein Determination

Measuring the concentration is a fundamental step of many biochemical assays. Photometric protein determination takes advantage of the fact that the more a sample contains light-absorbing substances, the less the light will transmit through it. Since the relationship between concentration and absorption is linear, this phenomenon can be used to measure the concentration in samples where it is unknown.
This video describes the basics of photometric protein determination and introduces the Bradford Assay and the Lowry Method. The procedure in the video will cover a typical Bradford assay. Applications covered include direct measurement of very small volumes of nucleic acids to characterize concentration and purity, determination of coupling efficiency of a biomimetic material, and another variation of photometric protein determination using Remazol dye.

photometric protein determination

Measuring the concentration is a fundamental step of many biochemical assays. Photometric protein determination takes advantage of the fact that the more a sample contains light-absorbing substances, the less the light will transmit through it. Since the relationship between concentration and absorption is linear, this phenomenon can be used to measure the concentration in samples where it is unknown.
This video describes the basics of photometric protein determination and introduces the Bradford Assay and the Lowry Method. The procedure in the video will cover a typical Bradford assay. Applications covered include direct measurement of very small volumes of nucleic acids to characterize concentration and purity, determination of coupling efficiency of a biomimetic material, and another variation of photometric protein determination using Remazol dye.
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_0">
	Determining the concentration of a protein in samples is a fundamental step in many biochemical assays. Photometric determination can be done with small sample sizes. The more a sample contains light-absorbing substances, the less the light will transmit through it. This provides a quantitative measurement of the absorbing substances. These concepts are so fundamental to science that the articles that introduced two of the techniques are in the three most cited papers of all time. This video will show the concepts behind some of the most common photometric protein determination techniques, how they are performed, and how the gathered data is analyzed.
</div>
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_1">
	Photometric protein determination is based on the relationship between concentration and light absorbency. This is known as the Beer-Lambert Law, which states that the concentration of a light-absorbing species is proportional to its absorbance.
	This principle underlies all photometric protein determination methods. 
	For direct absorption analysis, the absorbance values of unaltered protein samples are measured. Because of their aromatic side chains, tryptophan and tyrosine residues give the highest absorbance readings at a wavelength of 280 nm.
	However, these amino acids-which are two of the least frequently found in proteins-are present in different amounts in every protein, so each determination is unique. To overcome this limitation, more complex assays-that are not dependent on these amino acids-were developed.
	One example is the Bradford Assay, where colored dye is added to the sample. The dye, known as Coomassie Blue, responds proportionally-the more protein present, the more binding events with the dye.
	Then, protein concentration is determined by measuring the absorbance of the bound Coomassie Blue dye, which absorbs light at 594 nm. However, the Bradford assay is linear over a short range of concentrations, so dilutions are often required before analysis.
	The Lowry Method combines the Biuret reagent, an alkaline solution of copper ions that react with peptide bonds, and the Folin-Cioc&#226;lteu reagent, which oxidizes aromatic protein residues. The resulting color change of the sample is proportional to the protein concentration.
	The absorbance of the reduced Folin reagent can be determined at 750 nm. Like direct absorption, each protein has a unique response, and must be calibrated for the protein of interest. Now that we've reviewed the basic principles behind some of the most common assays, let's look at how direct absorption and the Bradford assay are performed.
</div>
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_2">
	To begin a direct absorption analysis, the spectrophotometer is calibrated with a blank to determine zero absorbance. Standard solutions are prepared for use in creating the calibration curve. Then, an aliquot of the first standard is added to a cuvette, and placed into the spectrophotometer.
	The absorbance value at 280 nm is then recorded. This process is repeated for each standard, using a clean cuvette for each run. Once complete, a calibration curve is created by plotting the absorbance versus concentration. The slope of this line is the molar attenuation coefficient, which relates absorbance to concentration.
	Next, the unknown sample is added to a cuvette, and the absorbance value is recorded. As the data analysis for the different photometric determination methods is similar, we will cover that after we look at the Bradford assay.
	Here, the Bradford protein assay is performed with a BSA standard on a 96-well plate. To begin, BSA stock solutions are prepared.
	The unknown solutions are diluted with deionized water to ensure that the concentrations are within the assay's range. Depending on the kit, the Coomassie dye may also require dilution. Then, the calibration curve is set up by adding the BSA standards to the 96-well plate.
	Deionized water is added to reach the needed concentration to generate a standard curve. The unknown sample should be added to the plate in triplicates to ensure an accurate measurement is taken. Coomassie dye is next added to each well, mixing with the pipette.
	Deionized water is added to an empty well as a blank, to measure the absorbance. After waiting 5 min for the dye to bind, the absorbance is measured in a plate-reader at 590 nm.
</div>
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_3">
	Now that we've performed a few assays, let's look at how to analyze the data. Each photometric protein determination method is based on the Beer-Lambert Law.
	The measured absorbance of the standards is used to create a calibration curve, which is then used to determine the concentration of unknown samples. This curve can be manually plotted, though newer spectrophotometric tools will create the calibration curve once all standards have been measured. These systems will also calculate protein concentration as unknown samples are analyzed.
</div>
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_4">
	Now that we've reviewed how to analyze photometric protein determination data, let's look at some of the ways these procedures are utilized.
	The principles of photometric protein determination can also be used to directly measure nucleic acid concentration. The nanodrop spectrophotometer accepts samples of very small volume onto an optically active pedestal. The absorbance is then measured, and the system automatically determines the nucleic acid concentration. Because proteins and other sources can interfere with measurements, sample purity is determined by analyzing the 260 to 280 nm and 260 to 230 nm absorbance ratios. Pure nucleic acids typically yield ratios of approximately 1.8 and approximately 2.0 for DNA and RNA, respectively.
	Photometric protein determination can also be used in the production of biomimetic materials, which are inspired from nature to elicit specific cellular responses. Recombinant adhesins are bound to polystyrene beads to simulate bacterial attachment to host cells. The Bradford assay is used to determine the coupling efficiency of the recombinant adhesion to the beads in the production of the biomimetic material.
	Alternative photometric protein assays can be used in the detection and characterization of protein antimicrobials. Remazol brilliant blue R dye is covalently bonded to heat-killed bacteria. The protein antimicrobial is incubated in the dyed solution. Then, the sample is centrifuged, and the absorbance of the supernatant at 595 nm is measured using a microplate spectrophotometer. Increased absorbance, by the soluble dye released into the supernatant from the labeled bacteria, is a quantitative measurement of enzymatic activity.
</div>
<div class="chapter_text" id="script_5">
	You've just watched JoVE's video on photometric protein determination. This video described the underlying principles of photometric determination, went over general procedures for some common assays, and covered some new advances in techniques. Thanks for watching!
</div>

Measuring the concentration is a fundamental step of many biochemical assays. Photometric protein determination takes advantage of the fact that the more ...

Determining the concentration of a protein in samples is a fundamental step in many biochemical assays. Photometric determination can be done with small sample sizes. The more a sample contains light-absorbing substances, the less the light will transmit through it. This provides a quantitative measurement of the absorbing substances. These concepts are so fundamental to science that the articles that introduced two of the techniques are in the three most cited papers of all time. This video will show the concepts behind some of the most common photometric protein determination techniques, how they are performed, and how the gathered data is analyzed.Photometric protein determination is based on the relationship between concentration and light absorbency. This is known as the Beer-Lambert Law, which states that the concentration of a light-absorbing species is proportional to its absorbance.This principle underlies all photometric protein determination methods.For direct absorption analysis, the absorbance values of unaltered protein samples are measured. Because of their aromatic side chains, tryptophan and tyrosine residues give the highest absorbance readings at a wavelength of 280 nm.However, these amino acids-which are two of the least frequently found in proteins-are present in different amounts in every protein, so each determination is unique. To overcome this limitation, more complex assays-that are not dependent on these amino acids-were developed.One example is the Bradford Assay, where colored dye is added to the sample. The dye, known as Coomassie Blue, responds proportionally-the more protein present, the more binding events with the dye.Then, protein concentration is determined by measuring the absorbance of the bound Coomassie Blue dye, which absorbs light at 594 nm. However, the Bradford assay is linear over a short range of concentrations, so dilutions are often required before analysis.The Lowry Method combines the Biuret reagent, an alkaline solution of copper ions that react with peptide bonds, and the Folin-Cioc?lteu reagent, which oxidizes aromatic protein residues. The resulting color change of the sample is proportional to the protein concentration.The absorbance of the reduced Folin reagent can be determined at 750 nm. Like direct absorption, each protein has a unique response, and must be calibrated for the protein of interest. Now that we've reviewed the basic principles behind some of the most common assays, let's look at how direct absorption and the Bradford assay are performed.To begin a direct absorption analysis, the spectrophotometer is calibrated with a blank to determine zero absorbance. Standard solutions are prepared for use in creating the calibration curve. Then, an aliquot of the first standard is added to a cuvette, and placed into the spectrophotometer.The absorbance value at 280 nm is then recorded. This process is repeated for each standard, using a clean cuvette for each run. Once complete, a calibration curve is created by plotting the absorbance versus concentration. The slope of this line is the molar attenuation coefficient, which relates absorbance to concentration.Next, the unknown sample is added to a cuvette, and the absorbance value is recorded. As the data analysis for the different photometric determination methods is similar, we will cover that after we look at the Bradford assay.Here, the Bradford protein assay is performed with a BSA standard on a 96-well plate. To begin, BSA stock solutions are prepared.The unknown solutions are diluted with deionized water to ensure that the concentrations are within the assay's range. Depending on the kit, the Coomassie dye may also require dilution. Then, the calibration curve is set up by adding the BSA standards to the 96-well plate.Deionized water is added to reach the needed concentration to generate a standard curve. The unknown sample should be added to the plate in triplicates to ensure an accurate measurement is taken. Coomassie dye is next added to each well, mixing with the pipette.Deionized water is added to an empty well as a blank, to measure the absorbance. After waiting 5 min for the dye to bind, the absorbance is measured in a plate-reader at 590 nm.Now that we've performed a few assays, let's look at how to analyze the data. Each photometric protein determination method is based on the Beer-Lambert Law.The measured absorbance of the standards is used to create a calibration curve, which is then used to determine the concentration of unknown samples. This curve can be manually plotted, though newer spectrophotometric tools will create the calibration curve once all standards have been measured. These systems will also calculate protein concentration as unknown samples are analyzed.Now that we've reviewed how to analyze photometric protein determination data, let's look at some of the ways these procedures are utilized.The principles of photometric protein determination can also be used to directly measure nucleic acid concentration. The nanodrop spectrophotometer accepts samples of very small volume onto an optically active pedestal. The absorbance is then measured, and the system automatically determines the nucleic acid concentration. Because proteins and other sources can interfere with measurements, sample purity is determined by analyzing the 260 to 280 nm and 260 to 230 nm absorbance ratios. Pure nucleic acids typically yield ratios of approximately 1.8 and approximately 2.0 for DNA and RNA, respectively.Photometric protein determination can also be used in the production of biomimetic materials, which are inspired from nature to elicit specific cellular responses. Recombinant adhesins are bound to polystyrene beads to simulate bacterial attachment to host cells. The Bradford assay is used to determine the coupling efficiency of the recombinant adhesion to the beads in the production of the biomimetic material.Alternative photometric protein assays can be used in the detection and characterization of protein antimicrobials. Remazol brilliant blue R dye is covalently bonded to heat-killed bacteria. The protein antimicrobial is incubated in the dyed solution. Then, the sample is centrifuged, and the absorbance of the supernatant at 595 nm is measured using a microplate spectrophotometer. Increased absorbance, by the soluble dye released into the supernatant from the labeled bacteria, is a quantitative measurement of enzymatic activity.You've just watched JoVE's video on photometric protein determination. This video described the underlying principles of photometric determination, went over general procedures for some common assays, and covered some new advances in techniques. Thanks for watching!

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measuring protein concentration with absorbance

Measuring protein concentration with absorbance is a key step in many biochemical assays. Photometric methods use the fact that samples with more light-absorbing material transmit less light. Because concentration and absorption are directly related, this makes it possible to measure an unknown sample.

The core idea comes from the Beer-Lambert Law. This law states that the concentration of a light-absorbing species is proportional to its absorbance. The video also introduces the Bradford assay and the Lowry method, which are two common ways to measure protein without relying only on direct absorption.

Direct absorption analysis measures the absorbance of an unaltered protein sample. At 280 nm, tryptophan and tyrosine give the strongest readings because of their aromatic side chains. However, these amino acids are present in different amounts in different proteins, so each sample has to be treated on its own.

The Bradford assay solves that limitation by adding Coomassie Blue dye to the sample. The dye binds to protein, and the more protein present, the more dye binds. The bound dye is read at 594 nm, but the assay is linear only over a short range, so samples often need dilution before analysis.

The Lowry method uses two reagents. The Biuret reagent contains alkaline copper ions that react with peptide bonds, and the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent oxidizes aromatic residues. The resulting color change is proportional to protein concentration, and the reduced Folin reagent is measured at 750 nm. Like direct absorption, the method must be calibrated for the protein being tested.

A direct absorption run starts by blanking the spectrophotometer to set zero absorbance. Standard solutions are then measured in clean cuvettes at 280 nm, and the absorbance values are plotted to make a calibration curve. The slope of that line is the molar attenuation coefficient, and the unknown sample is measured against the same curve.

The Bradford assay is often done on a 96-well plate using BSA standards. The unknown samples are diluted with deionized water so they fall within the assay range, and the standards are added to build a standard curve. The unknowns are usually added in triplicate, Coomassie dye is mixed into each well, a blank well contains deionized water, and the plate is read after 5 min at 590 nm.

Data analysis for these assays is based on the same Beer-Lambert relationship. The standard readings create a calibration curve that is used to find the concentration of unknown samples. Some newer spectrophotometric systems build this curve automatically and calculate protein concentration as samples are analyzed.

These ideas also apply to other measurements. Very small amounts of nucleic acids can be measured with a Nanodrop spectrophotometer, which reads absorbance on an optically active pedestal and estimates concentration automatically. Sample purity is checked with the 260/280 and 260/230 absorbance ratios, which are typically about 1.8 and 2.0 for pure DNA and RNA, respectively.

Photometric methods are also used in biomimetic materials, which are inspired by nature to trigger specific cellular responses. In one example, recombinant adhesins are attached to polystyrene beads to mimic bacterial binding to host cells, and the Bradford assay measures coupling efficiency. Another variation uses Remazol brilliant blue R dye on heat-killed bacteria to detect protein antimicrobials by measuring dye released into the supernatant at 595 nm after centrifugation.

Measuring Protein Concentration with Absorbance

measuring-protein-concentration-with-absorbance

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Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, or EMSA, is a biochemical method used to detect binding between proteins and nucleic acids. It is also called a gel shift assay. The test compares how a labeled nucleic acid moves through a gel before and after it binds a protein. EMSA is used to see whether a specific protein binds to a specific nucleic acid. First, the nucleic acid is labeled to make a probe. The transcript describes radioactive phosphorus-32 as a common label. The probe is then mixed...

Measuring protein concentration with absorbance is a key step in many biochemical assays. Photometric methods use the fact that samples with more light-absorbing material transmit less light. Because concentration and absorption are directly related, this makes it possible to measure an unknown sample. The core idea comes from the Beer-Lambert Law. This law states that the concentration of a light-absorbing species is proportional to its absorbance. The video also introduces the Bradford assay...

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biochemistry

This collection presents commonly used purification methods, such as affinity chromatography, as well as analytical methods, like MALDI-TOF. In addition, the videos showcase methods for assessing biomolecule interaction and function, such as co-immunoprecipitation and metabolic labeling.

Learn how absorbance helps measure protein concentration with the Bradford assay, Lowry method, and direct absorption, plus related nucleic acid and biomaterial uses.

Measuring Protein Concentration with Absorbance | JoVE K12

HS-PS4-5

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New York State Science Learning Standards

HS. Structure and Properties of Matter

HS-PS1-10.

HS. Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation

HS-PS4-4.

HS-PS4-5.

Life Science

Structure and Function

HS-LS1-1.

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Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

HS-LS1-6.

Inheritance and Variation of Traits

HS-LS3-1.

Overview

Principles of Photometric Protein Determination

Execution of Assays

Data Analysis

Applications

Summary

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Energy and Power of a Wave

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Doppler Effect - II

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Shock Waves

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Electromagnetic Waves in Matter

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Sampling Theorem

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Properties of Fourier Transform I

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Signal and System

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Upsampling

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Insert zeros between each sample to upsample, that introduces ...

Properties of DTFT I

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The signals are first multiplied by constants a and ...

Relation of DFT to z-Transform

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Sound Waves: Resonance

Resonance is produced depending on the boundary conditions imposed on a wave. Resonance can be produced in a string under tension with symmetrical ...

Reflection of Waves

When a wave travels from one medium to another, it gets reflected at the boundary of the second medium. A common example of this is when a person yells at ...

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how the experimental evidence supports the claim and how a theory is generally modified in light of new evidence. Examples of a phenomenon could include resonance, interference, diffraction, and photoelectric effect.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include using quantum theory.]

HS-PS4-3

Measuring Protein Concentration with Absorbance

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