Coomassie does it (better) : a Robin Hood approach to total protein quantification

Quantitative comparative proteomics require accurate and reproducible assessments of total protein concentration. We report a straightforward, cost-effective adaptation of an established commercial method for total protein quantification, utilising non-proprietary materials and colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue (cCBB) staining to achieve greater reproducibility, equal sensitivity, and optimal linearity of signal within a practical concentration range for proteins in common solubilisation buffers (i.e. for isoelectric focussing and/or SDS-PAGE). This method provided more accurate and precise determinations of total protein concentration in human serum prepared for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, indicating it may be better suited as the lead-in to most quantitative proteomic analyses.