If you wanted to estimate the molecular weight of a newly isolated protein (no known amino acid sequence) as close to its actual molecular weight as possible, what technique might you use and please explain why.
If you want to estimate the molecular weight of a newly isolated protein with no known amino acid sequence, you might use mass spectrometry (MS). Mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for determining the molecular weight of proteins and other biological molecules.
The basic principle behind mass spectrometry is that it measures the mass-to-charge ratio of ions, which can be used to determine the molecular weight of the protein. To measure the mass-to-charge ratio, the protein sample is first ionized (e.g., by electrospray ionization), and the ions are then separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio using a mass spectrometer. The resulting mass spectrum provides information about the molecular weight of the protein, as well as other information such as its charge state, the presence of post-translational modifications, and the presence of contaminants.
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