How we study cells Flashcards
What process is deregulated in breast cancer?
Methylation of arginine
What does methylation of arginine cause?
Modulate other proteins of the same complex
Promote protein/protein interaction
Block protein/protein interactions
Inhibit RNA binding
To study cancer formation what do we need?
Genetically manipulate cells to study function Look at their shape and size Look at specific proteins Detect and follow proteins Understand cellular protein biochemistry
How do we genetically manipulate cells?
Take out genes
Add in genes
How is a protein removed from a cell?
RNA interference
Genetic knockout in mice
CRISPR gene editing
How is a protein over expressed in a cell?
Transfecting in DNA
Transgenic overexpression in mice
How do we make films of cell activity?
Time-lapse microscopy
How can we detect proteins?
Antibodies
What processes are antibodies used in?
Cell biology
Isolation of cell populations (flow cytometry)
Pathology
Biochemical protein detection (Western blotting)
Detection of protein complexes (immunoprecipitation)
Signalling pathway activation
(Western blotting)
What is immunofluorescence?
Coupling antibodies to fluorophores enabling the detection of multiple proteins
How do we distinguish where organelles are?
By marking an associated protein
e.g. histone in DNA
What do we do if their are no antibodies to our protein of interest?
Genetically engineer cells to express a tagged version of the protein
The tag is often a fluorescent protein
What is GFP?
Green fluorescent protein
What is Western blotting?
A method to separate and detect specific protein within a mixed sample
How are the components of protein complexes identified?
Mass spectrometry
