This course is offered by Laboratory of Protein science, proteomics and epigenetic signalling (PPES)
Coordinator: Sylvia Dewilde
Lecturers: Sylvia Dewilde, Xaveer Van Ostade
ECTS: 6

Goal and content
This course will give you insight in the most frequently used techniques to study proteins and proteomes, on a theoretical level on a practical level.
After this course, you should know/be able to discuss the function-relationship of proteins, make a good, motivated choice out of the different techniques seen, to reach a certain goal or to solve a certain problem, gain insight in the different techniques to isolate and analyze protein profiles (proteomics), set up a protein-purifying protocol, and gain the ability to turn theory into practice.
Following theoretical aspects for the study of proteins and proteomes will be discussed:

• chemical modification of proteins
• purification of protein mixtures with limited complexity using ion-exchange and reversed phase chromatography.
• making a strategy for cleaving proteins
• separation of limited complex peptide mixtures using reversed phase chromatography and separation techniques of complex protein mixtures using gelelectrophoreses or chromatography
• N-terminal sequencing of proteins and peptides by Edman degradation
• identification techniques based on mass-spectrometry
• discussion of different strategies for comparing protein-profiles (ICAT, iTRAQ, DIGE, O16/O18 labelling)

These theoretical lectures will be followed by practica: i) labwork (sample handling and gelelectrophoreses), ii) demonstrative practical work (2D-microcapilliary chromatography and mass-spectrometry).

Prerequisite knowledge: Relevant BA.
Teaching method: general lectures by instructors; demonstrations; practical sessions; individual assignments.
Place/time/frequency: weekly classes over a twelve-week period. Practica will be 5 days, during 5 weeks
Assessment: theoretical part: written examination; practica: continous assessment (exercises, assignments and participation), laboratory notes
Literature: Own notes, notes on Blackboard