[JF - Bronwen Dekker, an Assistant Editor for Nature Protocols has asked me to post this.]

Nature Protocols is a new online journal for the presentation of both new and old methods in a step-by-step/recipe format. Packed full of useful information in the form of CRITICAL STEPs, CAUTIONs and TROUBLESHOOTING tables, these protocols should be a valuable resource for bench researchers. There are two submission routes: protocols that have been commissioned, peer-reviewed and edited will be published in the 'Nature Protocols' section and non peer-reviewed material can be posted as 'Network Protocols.' The content of Nature Protocols will be free until the end of July, but the Network Protocols will always be freely available.

While most of the content at present is geared toward the biological sciences, we think that this will also become a useful resource for synthetic and analytical chemists as it could be a forum where labs can post their methods thus sharing valuable information on how to perform syntheses or analyses of specific classes of compounds. In the moderated commenting facility, other researchers will be able to suggest modifications to the published steps that improve results in their hands. Other functionality includes links to key information, such as articles where the procedure has been used previously and information about relevant reagents and equipment.

Current content includes methods for analyzing proteins using mass spectrometry (for example, for quantifying changes in the abundance of specific proteins by in-gel isotope labeling - Asara et al.), radiolabeling protocols (for example, labeling proteins with indium-111 and yttrium-90 - Cooper et al.), and the synthesis of reagents (for example, the preparation and use of azido ruthenium, a new photoreactive probe for investigating calcium-binding proteins - Israelson et al.).

Bronwen

Bronwen Dekker (Assistant Editor, Nature Protocols)