8 replies to this topic

[josse]

Hallo,

I was wondering how you can prove that new proteins are being made.
For example: if a bacteria or virus infects a cell, then how can you prove they are making new proteins in that cells/outside the cell.

I can understand you can simply collect all the proteins and then check them one by one, but is this not too much time consuming?

Are there other methods to prove this?

[mdfenko]

add a radioactive amino acid to the broth and watch for incorporation of radioactivity.

[josse]

mdfenko, on 31 May 2011 - 07:49 AM, said:

add a radioactive amino acid to the broth and watch for incorporation of radioactivity.

yes, this is what I did read in some texts.
However: how can you be sure that this radioactivity is caused by the virus that is active and not by the cells themself? Those cells are active too? Or not?

Or can you make sure the cells themself dont make proteins? By for example removing the ribosomes?

(I have no strong background on molecular biology so its not always clear to me how it works)

[mdfenko]

the virus co-opts the protein production mechanism in the cell so that the proteins made will be viral. if you remove ribosomes (how?) then you will not produce any protein.

[josse]

But are all proteins then viral proteins?

Because: isnt it possible that regular proteins are also made at the same time? Or does a virus stop the proteinproduction of the regular cells completely?


I have no idea how to remove the ribosomes, but indeed, if they are gone, then you cant produce viral proteins either :s

[mdfenko]

the virus pretty much stops production of cellular proteins, except the ones the virus needs. this is, of course, oversimplification. the mechanism can be found in the texts.

[josse]

Ok I see.
thanks.

Do you by any change have a good title about this? I have tried to look for it, but I either found very basic information on viruses that arent helpfull or I found papers that are too difficult.

[mdfenko]

you can get a brief description at this wikipedia page and you can follow up with some of the references.

Edited by mdfenko, 31 May 2011 - 10:11 AM.

[josse]

Ok, thank you, I'll check it.