Protein Purification

Lectures and textbooks can cover the theoretical aspects of protein purification and laboratory classes can teach the practical techniques, but there are other topics which are difficult to learn by conventional methods. In order to purify any protein you need to know which separation techniques are likely to be most effective under the circumstances and, probably more important, which techniques are not. This knowledge cannot be picked up by following a fixed recipe for a class practical. It requires some thought and usually comes with experience, generally during postgraduate research.

Protein Purification is the latest version of the award-winning program that has been widely used in schools, colleges and universities since 1983. Its built-in tutorial aims to guide you through a simulation of some of the more commonly-used protein separation techniques and to let you experiment with the simulation. It starts off by letting you examine how a simple mixture of proteins behaves during gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and then goes on to allow the design and testing of full purification protocols using more complex mixtures of proteins.

It is assumed that you are familiar with the theoretical background underlying the most common separation techniques, enzyme assays etc. and that you understand the concept of the isoelectric point of proteins. The simulation models failure as accurately as success - so care is needed!

Source code for iOS, OS X, Windows and Android versions can be found on GitHub. You can access a free online version for desktops and laptops here.

The tutorial exercises are available via the Help menu. Alternatively, you can open another browser window or tab and load the online version of the tutorial exercises.

The online version of Protein Purification does not require Java.