Electrophoresis modes

In 2D-GE, two electrophoresis modes are combined on a single gel. One separation is performed in the first dimension, followed by another separation perpendicular to the first one. With this method, mixtures with thousands of proteins or nucleic acids can be separated with high resolution. The resulting fingerprint can be compared to electronic databases. Results can, however, be difficult to reproduce and this technically challenging method requires experienced operating personnel. 

Separation in Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography (MEKC) is based on partitioning of the analyte molecules between the aqueous run buffer and the core of micelles, which are contained in the run buffer. The technique is essentially a hybrid between CE and liquid chromatography (LC). The run buffer and micelles are moved through the capillary by an applied electric field. The analytes are dragged with the bulk solution. Similar to LC, the analytes partition between two phases, in this case two mobile phases, the hydrophilic run buffer and the hydrophobic micelles. Unlike other electrophoresis modes, MEKC can distinguish between different neutral compounds according to their hydrophobicity. 

The mode of operation of cze, a technique which is commercially available, is similar to conventional rod or slab electrophoresis, except that the... 

There are three distinct modes of electrophoresis zone electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and isotachophoresis. These three methods may be used alone or in combination to separate molecules on both an analytical (p.L of a mixture separated) and preparative (mL of a mixture separated) scale. Separations in these three modes are based on different physical properties of the molecules in the mixture, making at least three different analyses possible on the same mixture. 

Modes of Operation There is a close analogy between sedimentation of particles or macromolecules in a gravitational field and their elec trophoretic movement in an electric field. Both types of separation have proved valuable not only for analysis of colloids but also for preparative work, at least in the laboratoiy. Electrophoresis is applicable also for separating mixtures of simple cations or anions in certain cases in which other separating methods are ineffectual. 

Discrimination between the enantiomers of a racemic mixture is a complex task in analytical sciences. Because enantiomers differ only in their structural orientation, and not in their physico-chemical properties, separation can only be achieved within an environment which is unichiral. Unichiral means that a counterpart of the race-mate to be separated consists of a pure enantiomeric form, or shows at least enrichment in one isomeric form. Discrimination or separation can be performed by a wide variety of adsorption techniques, e.g. chromatography in different modes and electrophoresis. As explained above, the enantioseparation of a racemate requires a non-racemic counterpart, and this can be presented in three different ways ... 

In considering the applicability of preparative classical electrophoretic methods to chiral separations, it should be noted that practitioners in the art of classical electrophoresis have been particularly inventive in designing novel separation strategies. For instance, pH, ionic strength and density gradients have all been used. Isoelectric focusing and isotachophoresis are well-established separation modes in classical electrophoresis and are also being implemented in CE separations [7, 8]. These trends are also reflected in the preparative electrophoretic approaches discussed here. 

Smisek, DL Hoagland, DA, Electrophoresis of Elexible Macromolecnles Evidence for a New Mode of Transport in Gels, Science 248, 1221, 1990. 

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has several unique advantages compared to HPLC, snch as higher efficiency dne to non-parabolic fronting, shorter analytical time, prodnction of no or much smaller amounts of organic solvents, and lower cost for capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and fused-silica capillary techniques. However, in CZE, the most popular separation mode for CE, the analytes are separated on the basis of differences in charge and molecular sizes, and therefore neutral compounds snch as carotenoids do not migrate and all co-elute with the electro-osmotic flow. 

CE was recently used for anthocyanin analysis because of its excellent resolution. This technique has different modes capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE), micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), capillary electrochromatography (CEC), capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEE), and capillary isotachophoresis (CITP)."° CZE is the most popular method for anthocyanin... 

In the previously described electrophoretic methods, the capillary was filled with electrolytes only. Another mode of operation in capillary electrophoresis involves filling the capillary with gel or viscous polymer solutions. If desired, a column can be packed with particles and equipped with a frit.68 This mode of analysis has been favorably used for the size determination of biologically important polymers, such as DNA, proteins, and polysaccharides. The most frequently used polymers in capillary gel electrophoresis are cross-linked or linear polyacrylamide,69 cellulose derivatives,70-75 agarose,76 78 and polyethylene glycols. 

Honda, S., Taga, A., Suzuki, K., Suzuki, S., and Kakehi, K., Determination of the association constant of monovalent mode protein-sugar interaction by capillary zone electrophoresis, /. Chromatogr., 597, 377, 1992. 

Suzuki, S., Kakehi, K., and Honda, S., Two-dimensional mapping of N-gly-cosidically linked asialo-oligosaccharides from glycoproteins as reductively pyridylaminated derivatives using dual separation modes of high-performance capillary electrophoresis, Anal. Biochem., 205, 227, 1992. 

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