Direct determination of macromolecular charge by equilibrium electrophoresis |
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Authors: | T M Laue A L Hazard T M Ridgeway D A Yphantis |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biochemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824. |
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Abstract: | Charge is a fundamental property of macromolecules in solution. However, estimation of the apparent charge on polyions has confounded science for decades. Presented here is a general method to determine directly the apparent charge on a polyion, regardless of its size or shape. This new method uses equilibrium electrophoresis, a procedure in which opposing solute flows from electrophoresis and from diffusion balance everywhere as the system reaches a steady-state distribution. The method uses only small quantities of materials, is nondestructive, and requires only simple, inexpensive instrumentation. Here we describe a prototype apparatus, demonstrate the phenomenon, and present experimental examples of the procedure. |
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