Computer analysis of gel scans

Gels are frequently scanned either to obtain quantitative data from the patterns of stain or radioactivity or to facilitate comparisons between samples. Both these processes can be greatly enhanced by using a computer and I will describe the use of a desktop or microcomputer in this area. There are several programs available for scanning and analyzing two-dimensional gels and I will mention these briefly, in passing. These programs need extensive computer facilities and a full discussion of these systems is beyond the scope of this chapter (see ref. 1 and references therein). One-dimensional gel scans, usually individual tracks from a slab gel, are routinely used for estimating the quantities of specific proteins, or the amounts of radioactivity in specific proteins. I will describe an interactive integration program that provides very flexible procedures for determining the areas under peaks in the scan. A more automatic integration system can also be used and a number of such systems, designed for chromatography, are available. I will describe a peak picking routine that could be used to develop an automatic integration program if commercial software is not available.