COLORIMETRIC MICROMETHOD FOR PROTEIN DETERMINATION WITH ERYTHROSIN-B

Reaction of erythrosin B with proteins results in a stable, highly col ored chromophore with an absorbance maximum at 545 nm. This is the bas is for a new quantitative determination method of proteins in solution . The assay can be performed at room temperature, but is faster and mo re sensitive at 90-95 degrees C. The erythrosin assay is characterized by (i) stable dye-protein color, (ii) high sensitivity (2-14 mu g/ml protein), (iii) short reaction time (1.5-2 min at 90-95 degrees C), (i v) good reproducibility, (v) limited interference by common reagents, and (vi) low protein-to-protein variability. Thus, the erythrosin assa y can be useful for routine analytical purposes and may overcome some of the limitations of other currently employed assays. (c) 1994 Academ ic Press, Inc.