The biochemistry laboratory

Every biochemistry laboratory requires a basic set of equipment and facilities which are used in most standard types of biochemical work. Induded in this are general laboratory equipment, glass and plastic vessels, disposables and a stock of common chemicals. Additionally, more spedalised items, which are not discussed here, are needed depending on the sort of work being carried out in the laboratory. These will be different in a laboratory specialising in, say, protein chemistry from one where the focus is on molecular biology. Coyne (1997) provides further useful information about laboratory facilities and procedures. 

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Deulofeu s reputation as a leading bio-organic chemist was already established, when, in 1939, he was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry of the Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales of the same University. In 1941, invited by the Committee for Interamerican Cultural Relationships, he spent almost one year in the Biochemistry Laboratory, School of Medicine of the St. Louis University, doing research with Prof. E. A. Doisy. 

Welcome to your biochemistry laboratory course This is not the first chemistry laboratory course for most of you, but I believe you will find it to be among the most exciting and dynamic of those in which you have enrolled. Most of the experimental techniques and skills that you have acquired over the years will be of great value in this laboratory. However, you will be introduced to several new procedures and instruments. Your success in the biochemistry laboratory will depend on your mastery of these specialized techniques, use of equipment, and understanding of chemical-biochemical principles. 

The data analysis will be illustrated here primarily with the counting of radioactive materials, although it is not limited to such applications. Any replicate measurements made in the biochemistry laboratory can be analyzed by these methods. 

It is now possible for most students to purchase a basic computer system ai low cost. If a personal computer is not in the budget, most colleges and universities provide students access to campus-wide computer systems as part of tuition and fees. By this point in your studies, you are familiar with the use of a computer, but a few introductory comments are made just to help you get started with computing in the biochemistry laboratory. In terms of equipment, you will need a computer, monitor, printer, and some basic software. Some recommendations for specific hardware and software will be given here, but one must be aware that new products and important upgrades are continually being developed. 

To prepare an effective buffer, therefore, we need to identify an acid with a pKa as close as possible to the desired pH. For example, phosphate buffers are commonly used in the biochemistry laboratory (and in blood). If we want a buffer to maintain a pH of 7.4, which phosphate species do we need, and in which concentration ... 

The author acknowledges the help of Dr. T. Tsuchlya and colleagues in the Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Sophia University, in collecting reference materials and in finishing the drawings and pictures. 

Biochemistry The Biochemistry laboratory has 30 student stations and also serves the Community and Technical program as well as undergraduate Biochemistry students. Four six-foot and one four-foot bench-top induced-air hoods are located against one wall. Three of the six-foot hoods are exhausted together. 

Pipetting is one of the most frequent operations carried out in the biochemistry laboratory. Simple Pasteur pipettes are intended for the non-quantitive transfer of liq-... 

In contrast to pH measurements, conductivity measurements are not widely used in the biochemistry laboratory, despite their undoubted importance. The reason for this is not clear, since the necessary apparatus and electrodes are no more expensive than those needed to measure pH, and the measurements are rapid and straightforward. Conductivity can be used readily to determine the ionic strength of solutions. 

Table 2-4. Commonly used radioactive isotopes in the biochemistry laboratory...

Figure 2-9. Ceiger-Muller counting tube. In the biochemistry laboratory, Ceiger-Muller counters are used mainly for counting high energy fS radiation. They consist essentially of a screened cylinder containing the counting gas, with a central anode which is a very fine wire, and the cathode is a metal layer on the inner...

NMR is not a technique for everyday use in the biochemistry laboratory. The equipment needed for protein structure determination is expensive, and detailed expertise is needed to evaluate and interpret the results. For these reasons NMR as a tool in the study of biomolecular structure and function is confined to a limited number of specialist centres. 

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