Biological Applications of Proteomics

Abstract

Although proteomics indicates a new view of mass protein analysis, it is in fact a synthesis of much that has been developing over the past twenty five years. In Chap. 2 through 7 of this book the status of the technology has been discussed, and how the different elements are integrated in proteome studies has been enunciated in Chap. 1. In Chap. 8 the emerging impact of proteomics in medicine has been considered. Here our brief is to take a broader, more biological view of where proteomics is (and will be) impacting on biology in general, particularly in areas of biotechnology that transcend medicine. It is important to realise that the field of proteomics is opening up as this book is being written. Thus much of the existing impact of proteomics involves use of the technology that is limited to 2-D gel mapping of complex protein mixtures. It is not surprising that to date there has been little characterisation of the proteins displayed, as only now are dedicated proteome facilities being established. However, current results do give a glimpse of the dramatic impact that proteomics is likely to have on all fields of biological sciences in the future.