ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bradford protein assay

The Bradford protein assay is a special tool used in science to measure how much protein is in a solution. Think of protein like a type of food that is very important for your body. Just like you need to know how much food you eat, scientists need to know how much protein there is in a sample of liquid they are studying.

To measure the protein, scientists use a special blue-colored liquid called Coomassie Brilliant Blue. This liquid sticks to the protein and turns it a blue color. The more protein there is in the solution, the darker blue the liquid becomes.

Scientists use a special machine called a spectrophotometer to measure how dark the liquid is. The machine shines a light on the liquid and measures how much of it goes through the solution. The darker the solution, the less light goes through, and the machine can tell how much protein is in the sample.

So, the Bradford protein assay helps scientists to find out how much protein there is in a solution by using a special liquid that turns blue and a machine that measures how dark the solution is.