Proteinebene

Proteinebene is a German term formed from Proteine and Ebene (plane or level). It is used in German-language biology to denote a conceptual layer or dimension centered on proteins. Because it is not a standardized term in international English-language literature, its exact meaning can vary with context.

One common usage is in proteomics and systems biology, where Proteinebene refers to the proteome level—the set of all proteins expressed in a cell, tissue, or organism and their relative or absolute abundances. In this context it is often contrasted with other levels such as the Genom- or Transkriptom-Ebene. Data at the Proteinebene are generated by mass spectrometry-based proteomics or antibody-based assays and are analyzed to identify differential protein expression, interactions, and functional pathways.

In imaging or cellular biology contexts, Proteinebene can also describe a two-dimensional layer or domain of protein localization, such as a membrane-associated protein plane or a subcellular layer defined in histological or microscopic analyses. The term is thus used descriptively rather than as a strict, universally defined category.

See also: Proteome, Proteomics, Genom, Transkriptom, Metabolom.