For the Study of a Protein in Detail, an Effort

Question

For the study of a protein in detail, an effort is usually made to first:
A) conjugate the protein to a known molecule.
B) determine its amino acid composition.
C) determine its amino acid sequence.
D) determine its molecular weight.
E) purify the protein.

Accepted Answer

To study a protein in detail, it is necessary to purify the protein first. Purification removes other proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules that could interfere with downstream analysis. Once purified, the protein can undergo further analysis, including determination of its amino acid composition, amino acid sequence, and molecular weight. Conjugation to a known molecule may also be useful for some experiments but is not necessarily the first step in studying a protein in detail.