Electric field, protein

FIGURE 3-21 Isoelectric focusing. This technique separates proteins according to their isoelectric points. A stable pH gradient is established in the gel by the addition of appropriate ampholytes. A protein mixture is placed in a well on the gel. With an applied electric field, proteins enter the gel and migrate until each reaches a pH equivalent to its pi. Remember that when pH = pi, the net charge of a protein is zero. 

MS measures the charge-to-mass ratio m z of a molecule, by separating ions in a magnetic or electric field. Proteins and peptides are now able to be characterized by MS following the development of techniques to ionize large molecules and promote them into the gas phase without their destruction. 

Isoalaetrle point The pH ofa medium at which a protein carries no net charge and therefore will not migrate in an electric field. Proteins precipitate most readily at their isoelectric points this property can be utilized to separate mixtures of proteins or amino acids. 

Klapper, I., Hagstrom, R., Fine, R., Sharp, K., Honig, B. Focusing of electric fields in the active site of cu,zn superoxide dismutase. Proteins Struct. Pune. Genet. 1 (1986) 47-79. 

Klapper 1, R Hagstrom, RFine, K Sharp and B Honig 1986. Focusing of Electric Fields in tire Actir e Sit of CuZn Superoxide Dismutase Effects of Ionic Strength and Amino-Acid Substitution. Proteins Structure, Function and Genetics 1 47-59. 

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... 

Electroultrafiltration (EUF) combines forced-flow electrophoresis (see Electroseparations,electrophoresis) with ultrafiltration to control or eliminate the gel-polarization layer (45—47). Suspended colloidal particles have electrophoretic mobilities measured by a zeta potential (see Colloids Elotation). Most naturally occurring suspensoids (eg, clay, PVC latex, and biological systems), emulsions, and protein solutes are negatively charged. Placing an electric field across an ultrafiltration membrane faciUtates transport of retained species away from the membrane surface. Thus, the retention of partially rejected solutes can be dramatically improved (see Electrodialysis). 

Electroultrafiltration has been demonstrated on clay suspensions, electrophoretic paints, protein solutions, oil—water emulsions, and a variety of other materials. Flux improvement is proportional to the appHed electric field E up to some field strength E where particle movement away from the membrane is equal to the Hquid flow toward the membrane. There is no gel-polarization layer and (in theory) flux equals the theoretical permeate flux. It... 

Because protein samples are actually ampholytes, when samples are loaded onto the gel and a current is appHed, the compounds migrate through the gel until they come to their isoelectric point where they reach a steady state. This technique measures an intrinsic physicochemical parameter of the protein, the pi, and therefore does not depend on the mode of sample appHcation. The highest sample load of any electrophoretic technique may be used, however, sample load affects the final position of a component band if the load is extremely high, ie, high enough to titrate the gradient ampholytes or distort the local electric field. 

Charged macromolecules, such as proteins or polymers, are often separated elec-trophoretically. The rate of migration through an electric field increases with net charge and field strength. Molecular size of analytes and viscosity of separation media both have inverse relationships with rate of migration. These variables must all be taken into account in order to optimize the conditions for an efficient electrophoretic separation. 

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