Protein-purification lab
Safety gate · before any work
- Wear nitrile gloves and safety goggles throughout the procedure.
- UV light is harmful to eyes and skin; never look directly into the UV lamp and minimize exposure to skin.
- Treat all protein samples as potential allergens; avoid contact with eyes and mouth.
Do now
Run a protein-purification procedure and collect fractions to isolate the target protein.
- Hand in
- Fraction-collection data sheet recording tube number, buffer applied, GFP signal (yes/no), and target-fraction labels plus one error-control note.
- Where
- Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
You get two school days for every day you were absent, so this deadline moves with you.
When you actually run the column today, which of your numbered fractions will hold the target , and can you prove it with the green glow under UV?
Run a - procedure and collect fractions to isolate the target protein.
- • You'll be able to run a column and collect fractions.
- • You'll be able to identify target fractions using the GFP signal.
- Before you load the column, predict: will the target come out in the early wash fractions or the later fractions? Explain in one line.
- What single piece of evidence today will tell you a fraction contains your target ?
- 1Read the lab protocol in the PLTW course shell and set up your column and tubes.
- 2Load the mixture and begin collecting numbered fractions.
- 3Add buffer to elute the bound and watch for the GFP signal under UV.
- 4Record which fractions glow and label them as your target collection.
- 5Note one source of error and how you controlled for it.
- 6Submit your fraction-collection data sheet.
What did this day actually feel like?
Protein-purification lab
LAB Running the column and collecting fractions. Watching the glow move down the column and come out in a specific set of tubes is the most satisfying thing this course has done.
I collected one fraction late and lost part of the peak, which shows up in the yield.
Turned in: data table → Data Tables folder
Fiction. There is no such student. The lessons, labs and dates are the real planned course; the student, the classmates and the conversations are invented.
The same day, drawn.
Running the column and collecting fractions. Watching the glow move down the column and come out in a specific set of tubes is the most satisfying thing this course has done.
Fiction. There is no such student. The lessons, labs and dates are the real planned course; the student, the classmates and the conversations are invented.
🛠 Get unstuck · pick your level
Lab day: Tier 1 is the whole class at the bench. No extension today.
🔑 Today's words · 5
Tap a word in the lesson for a plain meaning and one example. Recycled into next week's Do-Now.
Do the work · 80-minute blockfirst 5 min = hook▸
💡 Big idea: Column physically isolates the target because only it binds the resin tightly, so contaminants wash out first and the target elutes last into the glowing fractions.
- 0-10Read protocol; set up column and label collection tubes
- 10-25Load mixture; begin collecting fractions as wash proceeds
- 25-45Add buffer; collect elution fractions in order
- 45-58Check fractions under UV; record which fractions glow
- 58-70Label target fractions; note source of error and control
- 70-80Clean up column and bench; submit fraction-collection data sheet
- • Today is the - lab.
- • You will run a column, collect numbered fractions, and use UV light to find your .
- • Work precisely: fraction order matters, and mislabeling a tube loses data you cannot recover.
- • Fraction data collected today feeds directly into Thursday's gel interpretation.
- • Loading the lysate applies all proteins to the resin; only the target binds with high affinity.
- • Wash steps remove loosely bound contaminants before begins.
- • GFP fluorescence under UV is the qualitative signal that confirms the target is in a fraction.
GFP, chromatography, SDS-PAGE / gel interpretation, purity and QC. · - lab
Day 3 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (find it in Clever, Microsoft sign-in), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Activity 4.1.3 GFP in myPLTW and run the protein-purification lab protocol to collect and identify your target fractions.
Mark the - lab entry complete and attach your fraction-collection data sheet.
diagram should be done (Tuesday); fraction-collection data sheet due today.
Fraction-collection data sheet with tube numbers, buffer, GFP signal, and error-control note submitted.
The official PLTW activity stays inside myPLTW. If myPLTW will not open, use F1 and E1-E3 on this page to complete today's local evidence decision, then make up the official activity when access returns. Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible through the submission route shown below.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
GFP, chromatography, SDS-PAGE / gel interpretation, purity and QC. · Protein-purification lab
Open Activity 4.1.3 GFP in myPLTW and run the protein-purification lab protocol to collect and identify your target fractions.
diagram should be done (Tuesday); fraction-collection data sheet due today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Run a - procedure and collect fractions to isolate the target protein.
- Read the lab protocol in the PLTW course shell and set up your column and tubes.
- Load the mixture and begin collecting numbered fractions.
- Add buffer to elute the bound and watch for the GFP signal under UV.
- Record which fractions glow and label them as your target collection.
- Note one source of error and how you controlled for it.
- Submit your fraction-collection data sheet.
Data table: Fraction-collection data sheet recording tube number, buffer applied, GFP signal (yes/no), and target-fraction labels plus one error-control note.
Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not. Use the checklist just below and upload by 11:29 PM for full credit. Absent with an excused absence? You get two school days for every day you were absent, so this deadline moves with you.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read the lab protocol in the PLTW course shell and set up your column and tubes. | _______ |
| Load the mixture and begin collecting numbered fractions. | _______ |
| Add buffer to elute the bound and watch for the GFP signal under UV. | _______ |
| Record which fractions glow and label them as your target collection. | _______ |
| Note one source of error and how you controlled for it. | _______ |
| Submit your fraction-collection data sheet. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You'll be able to run a column and collect fractions.
- You'll be able to identify target fractions using the GFP signal.
- 1Do thisRun a protein-purification procedure and collect fractions to isolate the target protein.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisData table: Fraction-collection data sheet recording tube number, buffer applied, GFP signal (yes/no), and target-fraction labels plus one error-control note.
- 4Submit it here
- 1Open the drop folder.
- 2Sign in with your district Microsoft account, not a personal one.
- 3Upload the file, named Lastname_Firstname__Assignment Title.
- 4Your own upload panel says Uploaded with a green check: that is your receipt.
Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not. Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions) › GFP, chromatography, SDS-PAGE / gel interpretation, purity and QC. › Data tableOpen the drop folder
Learn it · deck, reading, and vocabulary▸
The deck carries the prior idea forward, lets you inspect an analogy, maps the rule to biology, and ends with the same evidence decision and exit ticket used on this page.
Generated from this lesson's canonical data with a red-team citation check.
A manufactured must be purified because every contaminant left in the mixture gets injected into the patient and can trigger an immune reaction or weaken the drug.
Column physically isolates the target because only it binds the resin tightly, so contaminants wash out first and the target elutes last into the glowing fractions.
A library keeps a master plan protected while working copies guide production at different stations.
- Why protect the master copy?
- What information moves?
- Where can an error change the final product?
Stored information can be copied, read, and converted into a functional product.
Genes are regulated biological sequences, not conscious instructions, and one gene rarely determines a whole trait alone.
- • Master plan maps to DNA.
- • Working copy maps to RNA.
- • Production output maps to or a regulated cell function.
Driving question: When you actually run the column today, which of your numbered fractions will hold the target , and can you prove it with the green glow under UV?
What you already know: A manufactured must be purified because every contaminant left in the mixture gets injected into the patient and can trigger an immune reaction or weaken the drug.
New idea: Column physically isolates the target because only it binds the resin tightly, so contaminants wash out first and the target elutes last into the glowing fractions.
Visual or model: F1. F1. A lesson illustration or teaching diagram for Protein-purification lab. Use it with E1-E3; it is a model or context image, not experimental or patient data. What to notice: Trace the labeled testing, treatment, or biological process and identify where evidence limits the decision.
- Observe or measure the relevant feature in - lab.
- Organize the observation with a stable evidence ID.
- Apply this rule: Stored information can be copied, read, and converted into a functional product.
- Choose the option the evidence supports and state the limit of the conclusion.
Real biomedical example: When you actually run the column today, which of your numbered fractions will hold the target , and can you prove it with the green glow under UV?
What the evidence supports: E1-E3 and F1 support the daily take-home when the response meets the stated success criteria.
What it cannot prove: The package does not support claims beyond this lesson's or any real patient diagnosis.
- • GFP: Green fluorescent , taken from a jellyfish, that glows green under blue or ultraviolet light and is used to tag and watch cells or genes.
- • : A lab technique that separates a mixture into its parts based on how fast each component travels through a material like paper or a gel.
- • : The step in a separation method where a solvent washes the target molecule off a column or material so it can be collected in pure form.
- • : A specific whose presence signals a particular cell type, disease, or biological state, used to identify or track it.
- • : How free a sample is from contaminating substances, often given as the percentage of the sample that is the intended compound.
- • QC: Quality control, the routine checks and known samples used in a lab to confirm tests and instruments are working correctly and giving reliable results.
Use it now: Choose one decision option. Cite E1 and E3, then explain how the rule connects the evidence to your choice.
Go further, optional: The source links below are optional enrichment. Every fact required for today's local evidence decision appears in this lesson package.
Loading the lysate applies all proteins to the resin; only the target binds with high affinity.
Limit: E1 supplies context or an observation; it does not by itself establish the explanation.
Column physically isolates the target because only it binds the resin tightly, so contaminants wash out first and the target elutes last into the glowing fractions.
Limit: E2 is a teaching statement or comparison and must be checked against the task evidence.
You'll be able to run a column and collect fractions.
Limit: E3 supports only the result or product criterion named here; it cannot justify a broader clinical or causal claim.
PLTW-GEND-2026-12-02 · Simulated classroom evidence scenario
Your role: medical interventions team member
Decision: Your team must decide what the evidence from - lab supports before submitting the labeled and result claim named on the lesson page.
- • Proceed because the readiness evidence is complete.
- • Pause and correct the named setup or gap.
- • Repeat the measurement because quality controls are not acceptable.
Response: State one choice, cite at least two evidence IDs, explain the rule that connects them, and add one limitation. Submit it as the labeled and result claim.
Claim ceiling: The supplied lesson evidence can support an observation, pattern, classroom mechanism, or next-step decision about - lab. It cannot by itself prove causation, establish a real clinical diagnosis, or justify action outside this classroom task.
- • The solution must address the stated need in - lab.
- • The decision must be supported by E1-E3.
- • The final product must make the success criteria visible.
- • Complete the work inside the 80-minute block.
- • Use only supplied or teacher-approved materials and evidence.
- • Do not trade , accessibility, or privacy for speed.
- • and evidence quality: must pass before scoring other criteria.
- • User need and effectiveness: highest scored criterion.
- • Time, cost, and ease of use: compare only after and effectiveness pass.
Test evidence: For each option, record the E1-E3 result that supports or fails each criterion. Do not assign a score without a named observation.
- Version or option tested
- Criterion met or missed
- Evidence ID and result
- Revision made
- Reason for the revision
- Need and user
- Criteria and constraints
- Chosen option and evidence
- Test result
- Revision and reason
Students often think Students expect the target to drip out first and early, since it was loaded first, so they watch the wrong tubes.. The trap: The target binds the resin and stays put through the loading and wash steps while contaminants leave first. It only comes out during , in the later fractions, so the glow shows up after the wash, not at the start.
I loaded the protein mixture, washed, then eluted while watching for the green GFP signal under UV. Here is my record.
Reading: tubes 1 and 2 were the flow-through and wash, with no glow, meaning contaminants washed off. Tubes 4 and 5 glowed green, so those are my target collection.
Error-control note: one source of error is room light washing out the faint UV glow, so I controlled for it by reading each tube in the same darkened spot with the same UV lamp distance, so my yes/no calls are consistent.
| Tube | Buffer applied | GFP signal | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Load flow-through | No | Discard |
| 2 | Wash | No | Discard |
| 4 | Elution | Yes | Target |
| 5 | Elution | Yes | Target |
This model shows the level of evidence and organization needed to complete: Completes the purification lab: a fraction-collection data sheet recording tube number, buffer applied, GFP signal, and target-fraction labels, plus one error-control note.
- Name the variables and include units.
- Enter observations without changing the raw values.
- Check labels, calculations, and patterns before interpreting the data.
Keep the structure. Replace the question, facts, measurements, and evidence. Then recheck units, vocabulary, and whether the conclusion goes beyond the evidence.
Also due today: Submit your fraction-collection data sheet to the class site before leaving lab.
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure, the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities. Find it in Clever with your Microsoft sign-in, right next to Schoology.
Tap the speaker to hear a term. Add two of these to your notebook glossary with a definition and an example in your own words.
Pick just 2 or 3 words from today and make them yours: write what each one means in your own words, name the context clue or evidence that helped, then give one example from what you actually did in Protein-purification lab. Try your own words first; the glossary is there if you get stuck. This is voluntary and counts as extra credit, so keep it short.
Saved on this device. Show Mr. Mendoza or add these to your notebook glossary to claim the extra credit.
Classroom documents for this lesson are posted in Schoology. Open Clever, then Schoology, and find each one by the name shown on its card.
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched and quality control by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-4_When-Organs-Fail/4.1_Manufacturing-Human-Proteins; keywords:protein purification, gfp, . Score 150. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched and quality control by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-4_When-Organs-Fail/4.1_Manufacturing-Human-Proteins; keywords:protein purification, gfp, . Score 150. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched and quality control by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-4_When-Organs-Fail/4.1_Manufacturing-Human-Proteins; keywords:gfp, . Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
How to get there: open Clever and sign in with your Microsoft (district) account. Both myPLTW and Schoology are in Clever. Do the activity in myPLTW. Turn the work in on this site or hand it to Mr. Mendoza, because that is the step that counts as submitted. Schoology only shows your report-card grade later.
Check yourself · commit, then reveal▸
Claim ceiling for this check: The supplied lesson evidence can support an observation, pattern, classroom mechanism, or next-step decision about - lab. It cannot by itself prove causation, establish a real clinical diagnosis, or justify action outside this classroom task.
Your fractions 1-5 are collected during the wash and stay dark under UV; fractions 8 and 9 glow green. Which fractions are your target, and why did the target not appear in fractions 1-5?
Write an answer and pick a confidence to unlock the key.
Fast retrieval with instant answers, not the commit-then-reveal check above. Try each from memory first: write what you remember about the earlier units, then check yourself here.
Go further and get help▸
I can name the procedure's purpose and the evidence I will record. I can identify each named hazard and the control that reduces it: Wear nitrile gloves and safety goggles throughout the procedure. My data table is ready before materials are handled.
Finish the checklist before you handle any material.
- • Wear nitrile gloves and safety goggles throughout the procedure.
- • UV light is harmful to eyes and skin; never look directly into the UV lamp and minimize exposure to skin.
- • Treat all protein samples as potential allergens; avoid contact with eyes and mouth.
- • Dispose of all biological waste in designated containers per lab protocol.
- • Wipe the bench with 70% ethanol before and after the procedure.
- • Report any spill or broken glassware to the teacher immediately.
- 1Before materials are handled, identify the purpose, variables or comparison, controls, measurement units, and stop-work condition.
- 2Read the lab protocol in the PLTW course shell and set up your column and tubes.
- 3Load the protein mixture and begin collecting numbered fractions.
- 4Add buffer to elute the bound protein and watch for the GFP signal under UV.
- 5Record which fractions glow and label them as your target collection.
- 6Note one source of error and how you controlled for it.
- 7Submit your fraction-collection data sheet.
- 8Record each result in the prepared table before interpreting it. Mark missing, repeated, or invalid results truthfully.
- 9Complete the named cleanup and waste route, remove PPE safely, wash hands when required, and confirm the station is ready for the next group.
| Trial or sample ID | Independent condition | Measured result with units | Observation before interpretation | Quality-control note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Before the procedure, predict the result and cite the rule behind the prediction.
After the procedure, compare the result with the prediction and name one limitation or source of uncertainty.
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
Complete the virtual - run linked on the class site, recording which fractions show the GFP signal under UV, then submit your fraction-collection data sheet.
Learn.Genetics: Gel ElectrophoresisThen submit your Data table. Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
Genetic Science Learning Center: Genetics basics and proteinsYou've passed Unit 2, so the optional extra-credit track is open. Complete reserved-unit work from home, including virtual labs, for extra credit. Each item shows its correct submission route.
Open the extra-credit track- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way, on the class site or handed to Mr. Mendoza in class, and confirmed. Not in Schoology: that is where the report-card grade appears later.
- Error analysis and method · counts doubleName a specific limit of the method and how it moved your result, and compare what you predicted to what happened. "Human error" does not count; say what about the procedure or instrument caused it.