Protein characterization and its importance
Protein characterization is a critical aspect of modern biological research and pharmaceutical development. It involves the analysis of protein structures, their interactions, and the modifications they undergo, which are essential for understanding their function and mechanisms of action in biological systems. The Thermo Scientific BioPharma Finder software is a powerful integrated software solution that automates the intact protein analysis of LC-MS data and peptide mapping analysis of LC-MS/MS data, providing in-depth characterization of proteins.
The role of protein characterization in drug discovery
Protein characterization plays a pivotal role in drug discovery. It aids in the production and characterization of protein targets at various stages of drug development. This includes protein purification, binding quantification, and biotherapeutic analysis. The Thermo Scientific BioPharma Finder software, for instance, can rapidly assess sequence integrity, glycan profile, and antigen binding activity in a single measurement using only picomoles of material.
Modern challenges in protein characterization
Despite the advancements in protein characterization, several challenges persist. These include the complexity of proteoforms, the varied dynamic range of protein expression, and the loss of information due to “missed values” in MS experiments. Traditional techniques for studying protein structures, such as X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance, have limitations, including the requirement of large amounts of highly purified proteins and the inability to analyze proteins in their native conditions.
Overcoming challenges using Thermo Fisher Scientific workflows
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers solutions to these challenges through its advanced workflows. The BioPharma Finder application, for instance, enables the identification and relative quantitation of disulfide bonds, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and sequence variants. It also provides top-down analysis for fast screening of site-specific modifications using complex workflows in an industrial setting.
Moreover, the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap technology, when used with the BioPharma Finder application, allows for the most accurate and confident PTM profiles and identifications. For targeted protein quantitation, modern turnkey MS workflows have been developed to minimize biases during the MS analysis. You can learn more about our complete solutions for biopharmaceutical analysis here.
The future of protein characterization with Thermo Fisher Scientific
Looking ahead, Thermo Fisher Scientific continues to innovate and develop new technologies to further enhance protein characterization. You can stay up to date with biopharmaceutical technology advancements by signing up to receive our dedicated Pharma & Biopharma News and Updates. These advancements aim to provide researchers with more accurate, efficient, and comprehensive tools for protein analysis, accelerating the pace of biotherapeutic development and bringing life-changing biotherapeutics to the market faster than ever before.
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