Additives for immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional separation of particulate material: comparison between commercial and new synthetic detergents

We describe the synthesis of two detergents, L and A15, whose performances as solubilizing agents and as additives in the first-dimension step of a two-dimensional separation are compared with those of some commercial compounds, i.e., Nonidet P-40, 3-(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]propanesulfonate(Chaps), and sulfobetaine, on three membrane protein preparations: rat RBC ghosts, beef kidney microvilli, and spinach thylakoids. L is 3-]3-dodecylamidoprophylcbdimethylammonio propane-1-sulfonate; owing to the substitution of a dodecylamido for the dodecyl residue of SB 3-12, the concentration of urea compatible with 2% detergent increases from 4.5 M for the parent molecule up to 7 M. With all three biological samples on which the panel of different detergents has been tested in parallel, L + urea scores as the most effective solubilization medium. On red blood cells a notable qualitative difference is observed with the selective extraction by L as well as by N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylammonio-3-propanesulfonate of a major protein (pI = ca. 5.5, Mr = ca. 100,000). A15 is derived from a tertiary amine, with one alkylic substituent (either C11 or C13) and two poly(ethylene oxide) tails (totaling 15 ethoxy residues), which is reacted with propane sultone. Approximately 30% of the product corresponds to the N-adduct and is a truly zwitterionic detergent, while 60% is an O-derivative and still contains a titratable amino group (with a pK of 7.2). A15 can thus be used for isoelectric focusing on immobilized pH gradients, as in this work, but would not be compatible with carrier ampholyte isoelectric focusing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)