Protocol

Protein Arrays: Preparation of Microscope Slides

This protocol was adapted from "Characterization of Protein Complexes," Chapter 10, in Proteins and Proteomics (ed. Simpson). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA, 2003.

INTRODUCTION

This protocol describes the preparation of glass microscope slides with two particularly useful substrates: aldehyde and BSA-NHS. On aldehyde slides, amines on the proteins form a Schiff base with the aldehydes on the slide. BSA-NHS (bovine serum albumin-N-hydroxysuccinimide) slides contain a layer of BSA molecules that are chemically activated for covalent attachment of proteins to the slide. In this case, amines on the proteins of interest form amide or urea bonds with the activated carboxylates or activated amines of the BSA, respectively.