CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

Australian Proteome Analysis Facility

8 April 2005

The Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF) was established in 1995 at Macquarie University under the Australian Government's Major National Research Facility program, and was the first dedicated proteome centre in the world. APAF Ltd then gained further funding for the formation of a Ltd company and a multi-nodal MNRF in 2002 and has expanded to encompass synergistic nodes at TGR Biosciences (SA), University of New South Wales and University of Sydney.

APAF has customers from all states of Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA. For example APAF is working or has worked in the past with international life science giants like Applied Biosystems, Bio-Rad, GE Healthcare, Non-Linear Dynamics and QIAGEN on the development of technologies for the "proteomic toolbox" - to make the analysis of proteomes much simpler and to drill more deeply into the proteome. In addition APAF runs regular high-level training courses in Proteomics, 2DE gel technology and mass spectrometry for biotechnologists, clinicians and life science researchers from around Australia and Asia.

As the lead organisation in proteomics in the region, APAF aims to have pre-release access to new technologies for proteomic analysis and to be an early adopter of these technologies.

APAF has worked collaboratively with FLUOROtechnics since their foundation and has assisted in the assessment of the utility of a number of their products. With funding from the NSW government, APAF had the opportunity to extensively test FLUOROtechnics Total Protein Stain (distributed by GE-Healthcare as Deep PurpleTM Total Protein Stain.) This testing has involved direct comparisons between gels stained with Deep Purple and those stained with the previous market leader - SYPRO RubyTM.

APAF has been able to validate that FLUOROtechnics' Deep Purple :

• Is more sensitive than Sypro Ruby
• Has a higher linear dynamic range than Sypro Ruby
• Results in a cleaner background which makes gels easier to analyse
• Results in more protein spots seen on 2DE gels than SYPRO Ruby
• Produces results in a shorter period of time than SYPRO Ruby
• Is simpler to dispose of than Sypro Ruby

Not only has APAF been able to validate FLUOROtechnics claims for this technology but APAF has also identified some additional specific advantages, of which FLUOROtechnics were unaware. Whilst both stains visualise most proteins, there are some uniquely staining proteins observed with either stain. Deep Purple appears to visualize more small and/or alkaline proteins than SYPRO Ruby from numerous subcellular fractions obtained from human cells.

The technical differences of the FLUOROtechnics product that we have been able to demonstrate in APAF should result in considerable advantages for APAF and its proteomic services clients. For example, we have been able to resolve considerably more protein spots on gels (up to 80% more under certain circumstances) than using SYPRO Ruby. This should translate to the identification of new protein markers (for example, markers of cancer) that will facilitate the discovery of new diagnostics and therapeutics. APAF is now routinely using Deep Purple in its cancer research program, with certain commercial biotechnology clients and is in the process of transferring many of its SOPs over to Deep Purple.

APAF has presented the findings at the Human Proteome Organisation Meeting in Beijing China (October 2004) – the major international proteomics meeting, at the Lorne Proteomics Conference in February 2004 and 2005 and at many other prestigious meetings. APAF is in the process of writing up these results with a view to publishing in the international scientific literature later in 2005.

I am confident that FLUOROtechnics will benefit through APAF's independent validation of their technologies and product offerings through our publications, presentations and product uptake.

Professor Mark Baker