Sight for the Blind
How do we know what we know, and how will we continue our exploration into the unknowns of molecular biology? Technological advance is the rate-limiting factor in this quest. Simply put, scientists can only see what the latest technique allows them to see. As with all products, new techniques are borne out of specific demands. Scientists may be interested in the code of a particular gene, perhaps an entire genome. What transcript is produced from this gene? What about the final gene product? If it's a protein, what does it do? Does it bind other biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, or other proteins? What cell signaling pathways is it involved in? Maybe if we investigate its binding partners or remove it from the cell we might be able to gain insight into the purpose of both the gene and its product. These questions have forced the development of many creative techniques, some simple and some complex. This section attempts to introduce and organize techniques according to their purpose or function. Where possible, both theory and specific protocols for the technique have been provided.