The spelling of the word "Coomassie blue" is derived from the name of the city in Ghana called Kumasi. It is commonly used as a dye in biochemistry and is pronounced as /kuːməsi/ bloo. The first syllable is stressed and the "oo" sound is pronounced longer than the "u" sound. The final "e" in "blue" is silent. The spelling may confuse English speakers who are unfamiliar with the word's origin, but the IPA phonetic transcription helps to clarify the pronunciation.
Coomassie blue refers to a synthetic organic compound that is widely used as a dye or stain in various scientific applications, especially in the field of biology and biochemistry. It is an azo dye, which means it contains nitrogen double-bonded to two carbon atoms within its molecular structure.
Primarily, Coomassie blue is used as a colorant for protein staining in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), a widely employed technique for separating proteins based on their size and charge. Upon binding to proteins, Coomassie blue imparts a distinctive blue color, allowing for easy visualization and quantification of proteins in gel-based experiments. It has high affinity and sensitivity for detection of proteins across a wide range of concentrations, enabling accurate analysis of low abundance proteins as well.
Additionally, Coomassie blue can be employed as a dye for quantifying total protein content in solution-based assays, such as the Bradford assay. It reacts with amino acids, primarily arginine and aromatic residues, producing a color change that can be measured spectrophotometrically. This allows researchers to determine protein concentrations and assess sample purity in a rapid and cost-effective manner.
Overall, Coomassie blue is a versatile and commonly used dye in molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, providing a reliable and widely accessible method for protein visualization and quantification. Its convenience and effectiveness have made it a staple tool for researchers in these fields.
The word "Coomassie" in "Coomassie blue" is derived from the name of a town in Nigeria called Kumasi, sometimes spelled as Coomassie. The blue dye was originally developed in the late 19th century by German chemist Adolf von Baeyer and was named after Kumasi or Coomassie as a tribute to the Ashanti Empire located in the region. Coomassie blue is commonly used as a dye in biological research for staining proteins.