Purification of Three Spectral Isoforms of Recombinant Fluorescent Protein from Insect Bioreactors Infected with Recombinant Baculovirus

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 6 Issue 6 (2001) pp 353-359

Purification of Three Spectral Isoforms of Recombinant Fluorescent Protein from Insect Bioreactors Infected with Recombinant Baculovirus

Dean Berck, Amber Geidel, and Barry W. Hicks*

Department of Chemistry, United States Air Force Academy, USAF Academy, CO 80840
Received August 2, 2001. Accepted October 1, 2001

Published online: 30 November 2001

Abstract. Recombinant peptides and proteins have a wide range of applications, especially in medicine and biomedical research. Methods to rapidly and inexpensively manufacture recombinant proteins are needed to realize the full potential of proteins in medicine and to broaden their applications. A one-semester-length laboratory exercise is reported here demonstrating the use of the insect bioreactor system to create recombinant proteins. These laboratory exercises are suitable for students majoring in biochemistry or biotechnology and can be used to teach students basic biochemistry laboratory techniques including bacterial transformation, plasmid DNA isolation, insect cell culture, production of recombinant virus, use of recombinant viruses to deliver transgenes to a living organism, protein isolation by precipitation and chromatography, and protein quantification and protein characterization by electrophoresis and western blotting. The techniques acquired can also be used as the basis for related independent research projects in the second semester.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; biochemistry; recombinant protein; green fluorescent protein; bioreactor; baculovirus

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: barry.hicks@usafa.af.mil)

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