Analyzing gels

Several types of imaging systems and associated software are commercially available for analyzing gels stained with just about any kind of stain.9(192 These instruments greatly simplify data acquisition and analysis and the archiving of gel patterns. 

The open FFF channel is especially suited to fragile materials, and thermal FFF has found a definite niche in its application to ultrahigh-molecular-weight polymers. Furthermore, because samples need not be filtered, thermal FFF is the technique of choice for analyzing gels, rubbers, and other materials that tend to plug SEC columns [7]. Even particles can be analyzed... 

Analyze gel on Phosphorimager. Expose dried gel to screen for 3 h to overnight. Quantitate proteins and adjust concentration of each with unprogrammed lysate so that they all have equal concentrations of El or E2 protein (see Note 9). 

A number of small MW polypeptides were apparent in the two preparations. For example, four proteins reproducibly appeared in PSl from Anacvstis at 16, 14.5, 12.5 and 8 kDa. The 8 kDa peptide is of special interest, since it may be the Fe/S-binding protein (8) as the psaC gene product. These small polypeptides were most easily visuallized using a TRICINE-based polyacrylamide gel system (Fig. 1B,D). Interestingly, the 8 kDa peptide resolved into two proteins which differ by 1 kDa only when urea is present in the analyzing gel. In soybean, four peptides were also observed below 16 kDa. 

Electrophoresis is used primarily to analyze mix tures of peptides and proteins rather than individual ammo acids but analogous principles apply Because they incorporate different numbers of ammo acids and because their side chains are different two pep tides will have slightly different acid-base properties and slightly different net charges at a particular pH Thus their mobilities m an electric field will be differ ent and electrophoresis can be used to separate them The medium used to separate peptides and proteins is typically a polyacrylamide gel leading to the term gel electrophoresis for this technique... 

Both preparative and analytical GPC were employed to analyze a standard (NBS 706) polystyrene sample. Fractions were collected from the preparative column, the solvent was evaporated away, and the weight of each polymer fraction was obtained. The molecular weights of each fraction were obtained usmg an analytical gel permeation chromatograph calibrated in terms of both and M. The following data were obtained ... 

Finally, the techniques of nmr, infrared spectroscopy, and thin-layer chromatography also can be used to assay maleic anhydride (172). The individual anhydrides may be analyzed by gas chromatography (173,174). The isomeric acids can be determined by polarography (175), thermal analysis (176), paper and thin-layer chromatographies (177), and nonaqueous titrations with an alkaU (178). Maleic and fumaric acids may be separated by both gel filtration (179) and ion-exchange techniques (180). 

Various types of detector tubes have been devised. The NIOSH standard number S-311 employs a tube filled with 420—840 p.m (20/40 mesh) activated charcoal. A known volume of air is passed through the tube by either a handheld or vacuum pump. Carbon disulfide is used as the desorbing solvent and the solution is then analyzed by gc using a flame-ionization detector (88). Other adsorbents such as siUca gel and desorbents such as acetone have been employed. Passive (diffuse samplers) have also been developed. Passive samplers are useful for determining the time-weighted average (TWA) concentration of benzene vapor (89). Passive dosimeters allow permeation or diffusion-controlled mass transport across a membrane or adsorbent bed, ie, activated charcoal. The activated charcoal is removed, extracted with solvent, and analyzed by gc. Passive dosimeters with instant readout capabiUty have also been devised (85). 

The use of standards with samples makes zone electrophoresis particulady usehil as an analytical tool. However, when samples caimot be analyzed on the same gel, differences in the experimental conditions from experiment to experiment make direct comparison more difficult. To make comparisons from experiment to experiment, a relative mobility, is often measured by measuring the distance a component travels down the gel compared to some reference or standard component. 

The tissue to be analyzed is placed directiy onto the gel. Using the tissue itself and not tissue extracts has advanced the study of proteins that are difficult to extract from tissue, or are damaged by the extraction procedure. Dtif is an important advancement in the area of sample handling and appHcation where direct appHcation of a soHd to a gel matrix may actually enhance resolution. 

Both the ease of use of this method for characterization of proteins and nucleic acids, and the abiHty to analyze many samples simultaneously for comparative purposes, have led to the prevalence of this technique. The drawbacks of a polyacrylamide matrix is that acrylamide is a neurotoxin, the reagents must be combined extremely carefiiUy, and the gels are not as pHable as most agarose gels. 

Most sample components analyzed with electrophoretic techniques are invisible to the naked eye. Thus methods have been developed to visualize and quantify separated compounds. These techniques most commonly involve chemically fixing and then staining the compounds in the gel. Other detection techniques can sometimes yield more information, such as detection using antibodies to specific compounds, which gives positive identification of a sample component either by immunoelectrophoretic or blotting techniques, or enhanced detection by combining two different electrophoresis methods in two-dimensional electrophoretic techniques. 

The reseai ch has been carried out by the liquid chromatograph Perkin-Elmer (Series 200), which has tandem detectors the diode array (X=210 nm) and the refractometer. The temperature of a column was 30 C, speed of a mobile phase is 1.5 ml/ min. As a mobile phase, mixtures of solvents methanol - water and acetonitrile - water with addition of sodium perchlorate. The columns with the modified silica gel C8 and Cl8 (4.6x220 mm, 5 pm) were used for sepai ation of the AIST and FAS components. In order to make the identification of AIST and FAS components more reliable the ratio of the values of the above-mentioned detectors signals of each substance analyzed. 

Determination of Na " and Na" ions in raw cosmetic materials was conducted with the developed method of flame photometry. A necessity of development of method of samples preparation arose up in the work process, as this spicily-aromatic raw material contained pectin in amount 0.1-0.5% and that prevented preparation of samples by standard method of extracts dilution and required incineration of analyzed sample, time of analysis was increased in 60 times. It was established that CaCl, solution with the concentration 0,4 % caused destmctions of the carbopol gel. It was established that the addition of 0,1% CaCl, and 0,1% NaCl salts solutions into the system intensified the effect of negative action of these salts onto the gel stmcture and the gel destmcted completely. 

The range of pore sizes in which TSK-GEL PW and TSK-GEL PWxi columns are available permits a wide spectrum of water-soluble substances to be analyzed. Calibration curves for polyethylene glycols chromatographed on... 

Nonionic polysaccharides are one of the most simple substances to analyze by size exclusion chromatography because they seldom exhibit nonsize exclusion effects. Due to their wide molecular weight distribution, TSK-GEL PW columns are recommended for their analysis. 

Small peptides are among the most difficult compounds to analyze by aqueous SEC, although conditions for good separations have been developed for both TSK-GEL SW and TSK-GEL PW column types (15,16). Pigure 4.27 (page 124) compares the results of separating two mixtures of peptides on... 

The hydrophilic surface characteristics and the chemical nature of the polymer backbone in Toyopearl HW resins are the same as for packings in TSK-GEL PW HPLC columns. Consequently, Toyopearl HW packings are ideal scaleup resins for analytical separation methods developed with TSK-GEL HPLC columns. Eigure 4.44 shows a protein mixture first analyzed on TSK-GEL G3000 SWxl and TSK-GEL G3000 PWxl columns, then purified with the same mobile-phase conditions in a preparative Toyopearl HW-55 column. The elution profile and resolution remained similar from the analytical separation on the TSK-GEL G3000 PWxl column to the process-scale Toyopearl column. Scaleup from TSK-GEL PW columns can be direct and more predictable with Toyopearl HW resins. 

This chapter makes no distinction between gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). We make mention of specific analysis conditions wherever possible. We have attempted to include a variety of conditions but by no means should this chapter be considered a comprehensive review of conditions for analyzing polyacrylates. We have drawn extensively from our own experience in selecting examples. 

The nonporous spherical gels for PCHdC are often specially prepared for research purposes. However, nonporous polystyrene/divinylbenzene beads. Solid Bead, can be obtained in various particle sizes from Jordi Associates, Inc. (Bellingham, MA). Columns packed with these gels can be used for HdC of the polymers that are currently analyzed using polystyrene/divinylbenzene SEC columns. Fumed silica nanospheres are offered by Cabot (Tuscola, IL) (17), and nonporous silica (NPS) microspheres are offered by Micra Scientific, Inc. (Northbrook, IL). These nonporous silica gels may also be used for HdC. 

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