ABSTRACT
Proteins can be studied with a wide range of spectral techniques, of which only a small subset are widely use in proteomics. Protein spectral techniques, for the purposes of this book, are categorized as:
• Mass spectrometry (MS) techniques • Spectroscopic techniques
Mass spectrometry involves the measurement of protein mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios, from which molecular weights of intact proteins and their fragments can be calculated. Spectroscopic techniques all involve monitoring the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter (table 3.1). Since there are far too many mass spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques to discuss in a chapter as short as this, even in a cursory manner, emphasis will be placed on those currently being applied in proteomics. For more detailed discussion of these methods, the reader is referred to some of the many excellent books and articles that served as primary sources for this chapter [1-9].
