RGBradford: Protein Quantitation with a Smartphone Camera

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Protein quantitation is crucial in life sciences.
• The Bradford assay is a widely used protein quantification method.
• Modifications aim to enhance the Bradford assay's performance and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a method for accurate protein quantification using smartphone imaging.
• To leverage the colorimetric properties of Coomassie Brilliant Blue dye.
• To validate smartphone-based RGB color data against conventional absorbance measurements.

Main Methods:

• Performing the Bradford assay on a microplate.
• Capturing microplate images using a smartphone camera.
• Extracting RGB color data with open-source image analysis software.
• Calculating protein concentration based on the blue-to-green intensity ratio.

Main Results:

• Accurate protein quantification was achieved using RGB color data from smartphone images.
• No significant difference was found between RGB data and conventional absorbance data.
• The method utilizes the three forms of Coomassie Brilliant Blue dye under assay conditions.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based protein quantification via the Bradford assay is a viable and accurate alternative.
• This method offers a cost-effective and accessible approach to protein analysis.
• RGB color data analysis provides a reliable alternative to traditional spectrophotometry.