Extracting Proteins From Soil - (May/27/2009 )

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone new of a good protocol to extract proteins from soil. I don't care what kind of proteins. The only protocols I can find are for extracting DNA and RNA.

Thanks!

Can you tell us the application?

Well I eventually want to find out what kinds of bacterial species can be found in soil. Right now I'm working with top soil and looking to extract protein to run on gels and to identify using mass spec. Any ideas?

If you want to look at the species, you will be better off looking at the ribosomal DNA nd using that for characterisation. The proteins in siol will not just be derived from bacteria, there will be plants, fungi, nematodes, amoeba etc, all producing proteins that will be found in the soil. Proteins are also notoriously unstable so are likely to exist in a degraded state.

My only suggestion is to put some soil in a lysis buffer with protease inhibitors and hope that it works.