The European Bioinformatics Institute has released an updated version of the International Protein Index database at ftp://ftp.ebi.ac.uk/pub/databases/IPI/current/. The database, compiled from UniProt, RefSeq, Ensembl, TAIR, and H-InvDB, includes protein data for human, mouse, rat, zebrafish, Arabidopsis, chicken, and cow.
Bio-Rad has released the MicroRotofor cell, an instrument for enriching low-abundance proteins for biomarker discovery. According to the company, the MicroRotofor cell enables formerly undetectable proteins to be enriched to levels that allow analysis by 2D gel electrophoresis/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
The MicroRotofor cell, a preparative isoelectric focusing device that fractionates complex protein samples in free solution, can be used alone or as a part of a broader separation or purification workflow, Bio-Rad said. The system fractionates by liquid-phase isoelectric focusing, “which is particularly beneficial for proteins that are insoluble or otherwise do not separate well in other, gel-based IEF media,” the company said in a statement.
Clarification: In an interview in the 06-22-06 issue of ProteoMonitor, Michael Schubert’s comments regarding Bruker Daltonics’ manufacturing relationship with Agilent Technologies omitted some details of the companies’ partnership. Agilent develops the ion sources, ion transfer optics, vacuum systems, chassis, and associated control electronics used in the ion trap systems discussed in the interview. Bruker performs the final assembly and testing for the traps, which are built with components developed by Agilent, Bruker, and other third-party providers.