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Nature Protocols is an online resource for protocols, including authoritative, peer-reviewed 'Nature Protocols' and an interactive 'Protocols Network'. The two create a dynamic forum for scientists to upload and comment on protocols.

Stefanie Kaech & Gary Banker, from Culturing Hippocampal Neurons, Nature Protocols 1, 2406 - 2415 (2006)

Featured Protocols

COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Visualizing 3D nucleic acid structures with 3DNA

By Xiang-Jun Lu & Wilma K Olson.

This article contains protocols for 5 real-world applications that give a clear introduction to 3DNA - a software system that can be used to analyze, rebuild and visualize 3D nucleic-acid-containing structures, including their complexes with other molecules.

NUCLEIC ACID BASED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Improved northern blot method for enhanced detection of small RNA

By Gurman S Pall and Andrew J Hamilton.

This northern blotting protocol uses chemical crosslinking rather than UV-crosslinking to enhance the detection of small RNAs (< 40 nucleotides), including regulatory species such as miRNA, siRNA and piRNA.

BIOCHEMISTRY AND PROTEIN ANALYSIS

Quantitative DNase footprint titration: a tool for analyzing the energetics of protein-DNA interactions

By Keith D Connaghan-Jones, Amie D Moody & David L Bain.

DNase footprinting is often used to determine the site of interaction between proteins and DNA. However, information about the energetics of a protein-DNA interaction can be obtained by carrying out a DNase footprint titration with a range of protein concentrations, as described in this protocol.

BIOCHEMISTRY AND PROTEIN ANALYSIS

Detection of low-abundance proteins in biological extracts

By Luc Guerrier, Pier Giorgio Righetti & Egisto Boschetti.

In this elegant method, the protein extract is mixed with a library of hexapeptide-ligand coated beads. Theoretically, the maximum amount of each protein that can bind is the same. After removal of the unbound components, those proteins present in excess of the ligand concentration are diluted, while those of relatively lower abundance are concentrated.

NUCLEIC ACID BASED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of gene sequences

By Norihiro Tomita, Yasuyoshi Mori, Hidetoshi Kanda and Tsugunori Notomi.

This protocol describes the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method of gene amplification. It also uses a fluorescent metal indicator system to allow simple visual detection of products.