Sensitive sequencing: Instrumentation led to biological revolution

Alexandra A Taylor

doi:10.1074/jbc.cl117.000137

Abstract

Sensitive sequencing: Instrumentation led to biological revolution

Highlights

Before the advent of the sequencer, the Edman degradation method, developed by Swedish scientist Pehr Edman in the 1950s, required researchers to cleave one amino acid at a time from the end terminus of a protein, a laborious process
Edman later developed the spinning-cup sequencer in the 1970s
“By the time you got to 30 amino acids, you were done for,” says Gottesfeld

Summary

Introduction

Before the advent of the sequencer, the Edman degradation method, developed by Swedish scientist Pehr Edman in the 1950s, required researchers to cleave one amino acid at a time from the end terminus of a protein, a laborious process. The method could sequence only a few amino acids at once. “By the time you got to 30 amino acids, you were done for,” says Gottesfeld.

Results

Conclusion