Quantitative comparison of electrophoretic traces of bacterial proteins

The quantitation of electrophoretic profiles is discussed and statistical methods which standardize lengths and peak heights automatically are described. A computer program which uses trend and numerical analyses to provide data which can be used to objectively compare profiles is described. A further program can be used to generate an identification data matrix and so allow identification of unknown electrophoretic profiles. The system could have considerable potential for taxonomists who use electrophoresis as a taxonomic aid and in a variety of other fields of study where characteristic “fingerprints” are generated.