ISOELECTRIC
FOCUSING
M. KALEEM IQBAL
0309-MPHIL-BIO-T-12
INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
GCU, LAHORE.
Isoelectric Focusing
 Process by which
amphoteric molecules can
be separated on the basis of
their isoelectric points.
 Basic principle involved is
electrophoresis.
 Proteins are subjected to
electric field in a pH
gradient.
 Requires a solid surface
normally Polyacrilamide.
Iso-electric Point
(pI)
 The pH at which net charge on protein
becomes zero.
 Below pI = Positive Charge.
 Above pI = Negative Charge.
 Proteins move toward the electrode
with the opposite charge.
 During motion, proteins will either pick
or loose protons.
 Different from conventional
electrophoresis migrate to steady state.
Ampholytes
 Establishment of stable pH
gradient is important.
 Achieved by means of
commercially available
synthetic carrier amphoteric
electrolytes.
 600 – 900 Da.
 Closely spaced pI and high
conductivity.
 The curve is determined by
pH interval covered by the
ampholyte and the distance
between electrodes.
Working Procedure.
 Following Chemicals are required:
 Acrylamide solution.
 Water.
 Ampholyte solution pH 3.5 – 10.
 Ampholyte solution pH 4 – 6.
 Urea.
 Spin gently to mix urea.
 Add 10% APS and TEMED at the end.
 Remove bubbles. Fill the cassette completely with
solution.
 Allow to polymerize at room temperature.
Set UP Gel
 Remove the comb carefully after
gel has polymerized.
 Attach gel to the electrophoresis
tank according the
manufacturer’s instructions.
 Add catholyte (sodium
hydroxide) to the upper buffer
chamber and anolyte
(Phosphoric acid) to the lower
buffer chamber.
Sample Preparation &
Loading
 Mix protein sample with equal volume of 2X loading buffer.
 Loading buffer includes the following reagents:
 Urea.
 Ampholyte solution pH 3.5 – 10.
 Ampholyte solution pH 4 – 6.
 Triton X-100.
 2-Mercaptoethanol.
 1% bromophenol blue.
 Distilled water.
 Centrifuge the sample to remove any aggregate.
 Apply the supernatant to the wells with a disposable tip or
Hamilton syringe.
 Run the gel at 150V for 30 min and then at 200V for 2 hours.
Cutting slices for pH
determination
 After electrophoresis, gel is cut into 0.5cm slices
keeping track of the distance from any electrode.
 Place each slide into an eppendorf and label by
the distance (in cm) from the anode.
 Incubate each slice in 1ml 10mM KCl for about 30
min.
 Centrifuge and read pH of the clear supernatant.
 A standard curve is obtained by plotting pH of the
gel slices and the distance from the anode.
 Unknown pI can be determined.
Fixing and Staining the
gel.
 Soak the gel in 10% TCA for the removal of ampholytes.
 Ampholyte removal is necessary to reduce background staining.
 Stain the gel with Coomassie blue for 10 min.
 Discard staining solution and replace with the destaining solution.
IEF in horizontal slab gels.
 Horizontal slab gel has several advantages.
 Cooling of the gel is efficient as the gel remains
flat on the cooling plate.
 Lesser amount of electrode solutions are required.
 Gel size can be adjusted.
 Sample can be added at any position on pH
gradient.
 Precast IEF gels are commercially available.
A Slab Gel System for IEF.
2D Gel Electrophoresis.
 An application of IEF.
 Protein separated in two
dimensions.
 First on the base of pI.
 Can be performed in tubes
of small diameter.
 Second on the basis of mol.
Wt. in normal SDS PAGE.
 Procedure can be
adapted by combining IEF
and PAGE.
Questions??
THANKS

Isoelectric focusing sdvjhhgfusehcijhadfskjvbikwdf

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Isoelectric Focusing  Processby which amphoteric molecules can be separated on the basis of their isoelectric points.  Basic principle involved is electrophoresis.  Proteins are subjected to electric field in a pH gradient.  Requires a solid surface normally Polyacrilamide.
  • 3.
    Iso-electric Point (pI)  ThepH at which net charge on protein becomes zero.  Below pI = Positive Charge.  Above pI = Negative Charge.  Proteins move toward the electrode with the opposite charge.  During motion, proteins will either pick or loose protons.  Different from conventional electrophoresis migrate to steady state.
  • 4.
    Ampholytes  Establishment ofstable pH gradient is important.  Achieved by means of commercially available synthetic carrier amphoteric electrolytes.  600 – 900 Da.  Closely spaced pI and high conductivity.  The curve is determined by pH interval covered by the ampholyte and the distance between electrodes.
  • 5.
    Working Procedure.  FollowingChemicals are required:  Acrylamide solution.  Water.  Ampholyte solution pH 3.5 – 10.  Ampholyte solution pH 4 – 6.  Urea.  Spin gently to mix urea.  Add 10% APS and TEMED at the end.  Remove bubbles. Fill the cassette completely with solution.  Allow to polymerize at room temperature.
  • 6.
    Set UP Gel Remove the comb carefully after gel has polymerized.  Attach gel to the electrophoresis tank according the manufacturer’s instructions.  Add catholyte (sodium hydroxide) to the upper buffer chamber and anolyte (Phosphoric acid) to the lower buffer chamber.
  • 7.
    Sample Preparation & Loading Mix protein sample with equal volume of 2X loading buffer.  Loading buffer includes the following reagents:  Urea.  Ampholyte solution pH 3.5 – 10.  Ampholyte solution pH 4 – 6.  Triton X-100.  2-Mercaptoethanol.  1% bromophenol blue.  Distilled water.  Centrifuge the sample to remove any aggregate.  Apply the supernatant to the wells with a disposable tip or Hamilton syringe.  Run the gel at 150V for 30 min and then at 200V for 2 hours.
  • 8.
    Cutting slices forpH determination  After electrophoresis, gel is cut into 0.5cm slices keeping track of the distance from any electrode.  Place each slide into an eppendorf and label by the distance (in cm) from the anode.  Incubate each slice in 1ml 10mM KCl for about 30 min.  Centrifuge and read pH of the clear supernatant.  A standard curve is obtained by plotting pH of the gel slices and the distance from the anode.  Unknown pI can be determined.
  • 9.
    Fixing and Stainingthe gel.  Soak the gel in 10% TCA for the removal of ampholytes.  Ampholyte removal is necessary to reduce background staining.  Stain the gel with Coomassie blue for 10 min.  Discard staining solution and replace with the destaining solution.
  • 10.
    IEF in horizontalslab gels.  Horizontal slab gel has several advantages.  Cooling of the gel is efficient as the gel remains flat on the cooling plate.  Lesser amount of electrode solutions are required.  Gel size can be adjusted.  Sample can be added at any position on pH gradient.  Precast IEF gels are commercially available.
  • 11.
    A Slab GelSystem for IEF.
  • 12.
    2D Gel Electrophoresis. An application of IEF.  Protein separated in two dimensions.  First on the base of pI.  Can be performed in tubes of small diameter.  Second on the basis of mol. Wt. in normal SDS PAGE.  Procedure can be adapted by combining IEF and PAGE.
  • 13.