Proteomics: A Post Genomic Revolution

Proteomics provide a way of characterizing biological processes and is an important adjunct to micro-array approaches and DNA technology. Proteomic techniques, unlike traditional methods, can collect data for many proteins at once, adding rapidly to our knowledge of protein expression, modification, localization, turnover and protein-protein interaction during each stage of physiological change and disease. Because proteins are one step closer to function than are genes, these studies frequently lead directly to biological discoveries or hypotheses. The large-scale analysis of proteins is becoming an increasingly important post-genomic approach to understand gene function. Three major steps in proteome analysis are the separation of complex protein mixtures by two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis (2D), characterization of the separated proteins by mass spectrometry (MS) and database searching. Protein interaction maps provided by yeast two hybrid (Y2H) system on a genome wide scale are being to assign functions to new proteins. Improvement in high-throughput techniques in proteome analysis, such as the development of robotics automation for recognizing and excision of protein spots from 2-DE gels, enzymatic digestion and transferring the digested 2-DE gel spots to a mass spectrometry target for MS analysis and generation of MPIs are now very much in vogue. This review article deals with the developments, applications and future prospects of proteomics with reference to plants.