Week of 10/24/16

This week was fun! Yi didn't have any specific plans in the lab today, so we made plans for a mini experiment that involves measuring protein fluorescence (and by extension, structure) when the protein is exposed to different levels of urea. Urea is an organic compound that plays important role in the metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds. It is used in many bodily processes, particularly involving nitrogen excretion.

Before beginning our work, we had to isolate a protein sample from a protein-buffer sample. To do so, we used a centrifuge. A centrifuge is a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its contents, typically to separate fluids of different densities. When the centrifuge is finished its cycle, the protein and buffer solution separate, leaving an isolated layer of protein that can be in an experiment. A detailed picture of how this machine works is below.

Centrifuge diagram. Source: http://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/centrifuge-high-speed.png

Once we had our protein sample isolated, we had to make a plan as to how we would alter the concentration of urea in each sample we will use to examine protein fluorescence. The ratio of urea to buffer needs to increase each time. But first, we needed to make the stock concentration of urea to be diluted. We made a solution of buffer and urea, and I had to do all the molar conversions and manipulations to translation the number of grams per milliliter of each substance.

Once the calculations were done, we massed out the number of grams of urea and CC necessary and combined them in the buffer solution. Urea takes a very long time to disolve in water, so we placed our mixture in a warm water bath and shook the combination jar very vigorously. By the time the urea had started dissolving, our time was up! Yi had a chemistry lecture to get to and I had a transport van to catch. This week was a fun one, and I am so excited to go back. Until next time!