title: Degradation Parameters from Pulse-Chase Experiments.
abstract: Pulse-chase experiments are often used to study the degradation of macromolecules such as proteins or mRNA. Considerations for the choice of pulse length include the toxicity of the pulse to the cell and maximization of labeling. In the general case of non-exponential decay, varying the length of the pulse results in decay patterns that look different. Analysis of these patterns without consideration to pulse length would yield incorrect degradation parameters. Here we propose a method that constructively includes pulse length in the analysis of decay patterns and extracts the parameters of the underlying degradation process. We also show how to extract decay parameters reliably from measurements taken during the pulse phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, D-14424 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, D-14424 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiarugi
authors.affiliation: Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, D-14424 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valleriani
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D003198:Computer Simulation; D007700:Kinetics; D008390:Markov Chains; D008954:Models, Biological; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D059748:Proteolysis; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger