The Amino Acid Analysis Committee has mailed the AAA-1996 samples for this year's study, which has two goals: (i) to determine the exact amount of protein in the sample by amino acid analysis, and (ii) to identify the protein sample through its amino acid composition. Several laboratories have demonstrated that a protein can be identified from its composition, and the Committee would like to determine how well this can be done routinely. Instructions have been provided for submitting data to search programs available through the World Wide Web.
Each AAA-1996 sample contains 5-10 ug of protein. Participants are encouraged to use 5 to 10% of the sample to determine the molecular weight (preferably by electrospray or MALDI mass spectrometry) or to approximate the mass by SDS-PAGE. In addition, knowledge of a sample's isoelectric point facilitates identification by these programs, and there is sufficient sample for study participants to obtain this data as well. However, mass and isoelectric point are not absolutely necessary for identification, and excellent results have been obtained without these parameters. We have recommended using the ExPASy or the Propsearch sites on the Internet but will evaluate results obtained with other programs. We hope this exercise will acquaint more ABRF member laboratories with these programs and demonstrate their utility in the identification of unknown proteins. We request everyone's participation, even if they cannot access a mass spectrometer or the Internet programs.
If you have not received a sample and would like one, please contact Tom Andersen (E-mail: tandersen-@ccgateway.amc.edu). Results are due by January 15, 1996. As usual, the identity of participating laboratories will be strictly confidential. We plan to discuss the results at ABRF '96: Biomolecular Techniques.
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