The Logistics: The first step in the SELDI process is to capture, or "dock", one or more proteins of interest on a ProteinChip array directly from the source material. This can be done via a variety of chemical and biochemical arrays, including antibodies, receptors, ligands, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, or chromatographic surfaces. Next, the signal-to-noise ratio is optimized by washing away undesired materials from the chip. Now the target protein(s) retained on the chip can be characterized and successively profiled by SELDI, revealing the molecular weight of the analyte(s).
"It's a very universal platform. Compared with traditional methods such as gels, it's much, much faster," explains Tina Morris, research scientist with Human Genome Sciences (Rockfield, Md.). Morris has been using the ProteinChip Arrays for approximately one year. "The technology is still evolving. Within the last year the applications have exploded," proclaims Morris. "The software is getting more powerful. It's at a ...
