Fundamental Laboratory Approaches For Biochemistry And Biotechnology 2nd Edition

By (author) Ninfa Alexander J.; By (author) Ballou David P.; By (author) Benore Marilee
Short description/annotation:
Suitable for lower-level and upper-level courses and can also be used for some first-year graduate work. Dedicated to developing research skills in students, allowing them to learn techniques and develop the organizational approaches necessary to conduct laboratory research. Includes an introduction to ethics in the laboratory.
Description:
Ninfa/Ballou/Benore is a solid biochemistry lab manual, dedicated to developing research skills, allowing students to learn techniques and develop the the critical thinking and organizational approaches necessary to conduct laboratory research. 

Ninfa/Ballou/Benore focuses on basic biochemistry laboratory techniques but also includes molecular biology exercises, a reflection of most courses which concentrate on traditional biochemistry experiments and techniques.  The experiments are designed so that theory and technique are learned as fundamental research tools, and the biochemistry and molecular biology applications are seamlessly integrated throughout the manual. The manual also includes an introduction to ethics in the laboratory, uncommon in similar manuals.  Most importantly, perhaps, is the authors’ three-pronged approach to encouraging students to think like a research scientist: first, the authors introduce the scientific method and the hypothesis as a framework for developing conclusive experiments; second, the manual’s experiments are designed to become increasingly complex in order to teach more advanced techniques and analysis; finally, gradually, the students are required to devise their own protocols.   In this way, students and instructors are able to break away from a “cookbook” approach and to think and investigate for themselves.

Suitable for lower-level and upper-level courses; Ninfa spans these courses and can also be used for some first-year graduate work.

Table of contents:

Preface xv

Chapter 1: Getting Started in Scientific Research 1

1.1 The Difference Between Experiments and Demonstrations 1

1.2 Philosophy and Design of Experiments 3

1.3 Designing Informative Experiments 4

1.4 Ethics in Science 5

1.5 Keeping a Laboratory Notebook 9

1.6 Laboratory Reports 13

1.7 Presentation and Analysis of Data 15

1.8 The Minisymposium 18

Chapter 2: Basic Procedures in the Biochemistry Laboratory 21

2.1 Laboratory Safety 21

2.2 Special Safety Procedures are Required for Using Radioactive Materials or Operating the Autoclave 26

2.3 Measurement of Weights, Volumes, and pH 30

2.4 Various Instruments Used 38

2.5 Other General Techniques 45

2.6 Solutions and Dilutions 50

2.7 Buffers and pH 52

2.8 Appendix Calculating Titration Curves for Polyprotic Acids and Other Multiple Binding Site Receptors 62

2.9 Equipment Used in This Course 64

Chapter 3: Spectroscopic Methods 65

3.1 Introduction 65

3.2 Design and Properties of Spectrophotometers 69

3.3 Effects of Spectral Bandpass and Stray Light 72

3.4 Recording Spectrophotometers 74

3.5 Fluorescence Spectroscopy 75

3.6 Chromogenic and Fluorogenic Reactions Used for Analysis 83

3.7 Other Spectroscopic Techniques 84

3.8 Mass Spectrometry (MS) 94

Experiments 3-1 to 3-4 99

Reagents Needed for Chapter 3 103

Chapter 4: Quantification of Protein Concentration 105

4.1 Purposes of Protein Quantification 105

4.2 Factors to Consider in Choosing an Assay 107

4.3 Non-Colorimetric Procedures for Quantification of Proteins 108

4.4 Colorimetric Procedures for Quantification of Proteins 110

Experiment 4-1 115

Reagents Needed for Chapter 4 119

Chapter 5: Chromatography 121

5.1