High-resolution separation of peptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel "focusing"

As a follow-up of our previous report (Anal. Chem. 2007, 79, 821-827) on analytical SDS-PAGE focusing, a refinement of the method for separation of peptides in the small to medium M(r) range (0.5-10 kDa) is here reported, based on a shallow gradient of immobilized positive charges (0-10 mM) onto a minimally sieving polyacrylamide gel matrix (4%T, 2.5%C). Unlike conventional SDS-PAGE, which rarely can achieve the separations of polypeptide chains below a critical value of 10 kDa, the present method can be fine-tuned to perform such separations even down to a size of only 500 Da. In the case of larger fragments, the major peptide zones are shown, under microscope observation, to be composed by envelopes of bands as narrow as 20-100 microm, spaced at regular intervals of 100-150 microm. It is hypothesized that such larger peptides could form complexes with rather small SDS micelles and that such peptide-SDS complexes could differ in charge by just a single negative charge.     

Ultrathin-layer sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of proteins: effects of gel composition and temperature on the separation of sodium dodecyl sulfate-protein complexes

This paper discusses the effects of gel composition and separation temperature on the migration properties of fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate-labeled protein molecular mass markers (ranging from 20 100 to 205 000 Da) in automated ultrathin-layer sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis. The separation mechanism with the agarose and composite agarose - linear polyacrylamide, agarose - hydroxyethyl cellulose, and agarose - polyethylene oxide matrices were all found to comply with the Ogston sieving model in the molecular mass range of the protein molecules investigated. Our temperature studies revealed that electrophoretic separation of SDS protein complexes is an activated process and, in pure agarose and in composite agarose hydroxyethyl cellulose and agarose - polyethylene oxide matrices that the separation requires increasing activation energy as a function of the molecular mass of the separated proteins. On the other hand, when linear polyacrylamide was used as composite additive, the activation energy demand of the separation decreased with increasing solute molecular mass. The sensitivity of the laser-induced fluorescent detection of the automated ultrathin-layer electrophoresis system was evaluated by injecting a series of dilutions of the markers and was found to be less than 2.5 ng/band for the fluorophore-labeled protein.     

A polymorphic variation in the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophores separation of carboxymethylated human hair proteins

We observed a variation in the one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profile of carboxymethylated human hair proteins revealed by Coomassie staining or 14C-autoradiography in 4% of an Anglo-Celtic population in Armidale, Australia.     

High-speed separation of proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis with partial translational spontaneous sample injection

In this study, we developed a picoliter-scale partial translational spontaneous injection approach which is suitable for high-speed protein separation under sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis mode. On the basis of this approach, we built a high-speed CE system for protein separation based on a short capillary and slotted-vial array. The system has the advantages of simple structure, ease of building without the requirement of microfabricated devices, convenient operation, and low cost. Under the optimized conditions, picoliter-scale sample plugs (corresponding to ～65?μm plug length) were obtained, which ensured both the high speed and the high efficiency in protein separation. Five fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled proteins including myoglobin, egg albumin, bovine serum albumin, phosphorylase b, and myosin were separated within 60?s with an effective separation length of 1.5?cm. Theoretical plates per meter ranging from 2.58×10? to 1.28×10? (corresponding to 0.78-3.88?μm plate height) were obtained. The separation speed and separation efficiency of the present system are comparable to those of most microchip-based capillary electrophoresis systems for protein separation. The relative standard deviations of the migration times were in the range of 0.9-1.3% (n=5). Good linear relationships between log relative molecular mass and migration time were obtained in the molecular weigh range of 17,200-500,000, which demonstrate the present system can be applied in protein relative molecular mass determination.     

Interaction of sodium dodecyl sulfate with polyelectrolyte complexes derived from diazoresin and sulfonate-containing polymers

The sulfonate-containing polyelectrolytes (SPE) from sulfonation of polystyrene (PS) and copolymerization of 3-sulfo-propyl methacrylate, potassium salt (SPMS) with styrene (S) were prepared. Photosensitive polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC_DR) derived from SPE and diazoresin (DR), which does not dissolve in water or organic solvent due to its ionic crosslinking structure, dissolves in aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) due to the dissociation of PEC_DR and the hydrophobic interaction between SDS and the polymer chain. The photosensitive behavior and thermostability of the PEC_DR were investigated, and it was found that the thermostability of PEC_DR increases dramatically in SDS aqueous solution. It was proposed that the higher thermostability of PEC_DR in SDS aqueous solution is due to an aggregation of SDS molecules around the diazonium group of the PEC_DR, which protects the  N group of the DR from attack by the nucleophiles. The image-forming behavior of PEC_DR by ultraviolet (UV) light was examined and considered to be different from other PECs. It was concluded that the photoimaging behavior of PEC_DR is based on a reaction in which an ionic bond converts to a covalent bond. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2601–2606, 1999     

Ultra-fast high-performance capillary sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of proteins

An ultra-fast analysis of proteins, based on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-mediated gel electrophoresis was developed, in which protein molecular mass standards ranging from M_r 14 200 to 94 700 were separated within 3 min. A 50 μm diameter uncoated fused-silica capillary column and a high field strength are used. The effects of the SDS concentration in the separation gel buffer and in the sample buffer on the resolution of protein test mixture were studied. The influence of the heat treatment of the sample prior analysis is also discussed.     

Preconcentration of proteins using modified micellar phases of sodium dodecyl sulfate

The influence of electrolyte and additives of organic acids and alcohols on the efficiency of the extraction of ovalbumin and casein into micellar phases of sodium dodecyl sulfate is studied. The optimal acidity and the conditions for the preconcentration of the proteins using low-temperature anion-active phases are found. Micellar extraction procedures for the extraction of proteins from fabrics, solid surface, and biological fluids are proposed.     

A systematic investigation into the recovery of radioactively labeled proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels

We report the results of a systematic investigation designed to optimize a method for quantifying radioactivity in proteins in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The method involves dissolving appropriately sized pieces of gel in hydrogen peroxide and heating to 70 degrees C overnight followed by liquid scintillation counting. H(2)O(2) had no effect on the count rates of [(14)C]bovine serum albumin (BSA) when counted in a conventional liquid scintillation system, and the count rates remained stable for several days. Temperatures below 70 degrees C resulted in incomplete extraction of radioactivity from gels containing [(14)C]BSA, but there was also a significant reduction in count rates in samples incubated at 80 degrees C. At 70 degrees C recovery was not affected by the amount of sample loaded onto the gel or by the staining procedure (Coomassie Brilliant Blue or SYPRO Ruby). Recoveries were in the range of 89-94%, and the coefficient of variation for five replicate samples was 5-10%. This method offers a reliable way of measuring the amount of radioactivity in proteins that have been separated by electrophoresis. It may be useful, for example, in quantitative metabolic labeling experiments when it is necessary to know precisely how much tracer has been incorporated into a particular protein.     

Micropreparative isoelectric focusing protein separation in a suspended drop

IEF protein binary separations were performed in a 12-μL drop suspended between two palladium electrodes, using pH gradients created by electrolysis of simple buffers at low voltages (1.5-5 V). The dynamics of pH gradient formation and protein separation were investigated by computer simulation and experimentally via digital video microscope imaging in the presence and absence of pH indicator solution. Albumin, ferritin, myoglobin, and cytochrome c were used as model proteins. A drop containing 2.4 μg of each protein was applied, electrophoresed, and allowed to evaporate until it splits to produce two fractions that were recovered by rinsing the electrodes with a few microliters of buffer. Analysis by gel electrophoresis revealed that anode and cathode fractions were depleted from high pI and low pI proteins, respectively, whereas proteins with intermediate pI values were recovered in both fractions. Comparable data were obtained with diluted bovine serum that was fortified with myoglobin and cytochrome c.     

High-speed separation of proteins by microchip electrophoresis using a polyethylene glycol-coated plastic chip with a sodium dodecyl sulfate-linear polyacrylamide solution

In this paper, we describe a method for size-based electrophoretic separation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-protein complexes on a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microchip, using a separation buffer solution containing SDS and linear polyacrylamide as a sieving matrix. We developed optimum conditions under which protein separations can be performed, using polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated polymer microchips and electrokinetic sample injection. We studied the performance of protein separations on the PEG-coated PMMA microchip. The electrophoretic separation of proteins (21.5-116.0 kDa) was completed with separation lengths of 3 mm, achieved within 8 s on the PEG-coated microchip. This high-speed method may be applied to protein separations over a large range of molecular weight, making the PEG-coated microchip approach applicable to high-speed proteome analysis systems.     

Electrokinetic supercharging preconcentration and microchip gel electrophoretic separation of sodium dodecyl sulfate-protein complexes

A microchip gel electrophoresis (MCGE) method with electrokinetic supercharging (EKS, electrokinetic injection with transient isotachophoresis) on a single channel chip was developed for high-sensitive detection of a standard mixture of six proteins (phosphorylase b, albumin, ovalbumin, carbonic anhydrase, trypsin inhibitor, and alpha-lactalbumin) in the form of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) complexes. An average lower limit of detectable concentration (LLDC) achieved using UV detection at 214 nm was 0.27 microg/mL that is 30 times lower than that of conventional MCGE on a cross geometry chip. The calibration curves for molecular weight and concentration of SDS-protein complexes suggested that the present EKS-MCGE method had a better linear dynamic range and benefited future applications for qualitative and quantitative analysis of unknown protein samples. It was found that an excessive amount of unbound SDS in the sample deteriorated the preconcentration effect and resolution. The developed method appears greatly promising for high-speed and high sensitive analysis of SDS-proteins by MCGE.     

Micropreparative separation of transfer ribonucleic acids by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method was developed for the micropreparative separation of individual species of tRNA using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on large pore spherical silica bonded with C3 alkyl chains. Columns were eluted with linear gradients of decreasing sodium chloride and increasing methanol concentrations. The decreasing salt gradient gradually abolished hydrophobic interactions and a significantly higher selectivity was thus obtained when compared with increasing gradients of salts usually employed in reversed-phase separations of tRNA. The acceptance of tRNA fractions was tested by charging them with fifteen different amino acids. Significantly different separations were obtained with tRNA from Escherichia coli and from rat liver. tRNAGlu and tRNATyr from E. coli were obtained in a pure form, all other tRNAs were more or less contaminated by adjoining tRNAs for other amino acids. Rechromatography under suitable isocratic conditions was required to obtain pure tRNA species from rat liver. Isoaccepting tRNAs for several amino acids were separated from rat liver. The method described seems suitable for preliminary fractionations of complex mixtures of tRNA and for a simple purification of isoaccepting species if the presence of tRNAs for other amino acids is not an hindrance.     

Identification of proteins from one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using electrospray quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

The potential of electrospray tandem mass spectrometry using a quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer was evaluated for the identification of two unknown proteins from one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1-D-PAGE). Two proteins from cellular cultures of mammary epithelia were purified by 1D-PAGE. Their identification was achieved using peptide sequence tags generated by LC/Q-TOF-MS/MS, whereas MALDI-TOF mass mapping failed for these proteins obtained from simple 1D-PAGE separation.     

Bioactive peptides derived from food

As interest in the ability of functional foods to impact on human health has grown over the past decade, so has the volume of knowledge detailing the beneficial roles of food-derived bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides from both plant and animal proteins have been discovered, with to date, by far the most being isolated from milk-based products. A wide range of activities has been described, including antimicrobial and antifungal properties, blood pressure-lowering effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, antithrombotic effects, enhancement of mineral absorption, immunomodulatory effects, and localized effects on the gut. Although there is still considerable research to be performed in the area of food-derived bioactive peptides, it is clear that the generation of bioactive peptides from dietary proteins during the normal digestive process is of importance. Therefore, it will become necessary when determining dietary protein quality to consider the potential effects of latent bioactive peptides that are released during digestion of the protein.     

十二烷基苯磺酸钠共振瑞利散射法测定蛋白质

在酸性条件下，十二烷基苯磺酸钠与牛血清白蛋白形成离子缔合物，使共振瑞利散射（RRS）急剧增强。研究了相应的光谱特征，影响了因素和适宜的反应条件。在此条件下，不同蛋白质在一定浓度范围内与散射强度呈线性关系。方法的检出限在17.8ng/mL至135.4ng/mL之间，可用于多种蛋白质的测定。本法已用于合成样品以及人血清样品中蛋白质量的测定。     

Determination of profiles of non-collagenous proteins from rat bones by sodium dodecyl sulfate high-performance liquid chromatography.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-high-performance liquid chromatographic (SDS-HPLC) techniques for screening profiles of bone non-collagenous proteins (NCP) are described and compared with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) techniques. NCPs were obtained from long bones of neonatal and mature rats by sequential extraction with 4 M guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) and 0.25 M EDTA followed by desalting. Desalted extracts were subjected to SDS-PAGE and SDS-HPLC. The results of the two analyses were comparable. There were differences in NCP profiles between mature rats and pups and between the GdnHCl and EDTA extracts. The methods described can be used for qualitative comparison of treatments and as a basis for further study.     

On-line isotachophoretic preconcentration and gel electrophoretic separation of sodium dodecyl sulfate-proteins on a microchip

A microchip for integrated isotachophoretic (ITP) preconcentration with gel electrophoretic (GE) separation to decrease the detectable concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-proteins was developed. Each channel of the chip was designed with a long sample injection channel to increase the sample loading and allow stacking the sample into a narrow zone using discontinuous ITP buffers. The pre-concentrated sample was separated in GE mode in sieving polymer solutions. All the analysis steps including injection, preconcentration, and separation of the ITP-GE process were performed continuously, controlled by a high-voltage power source with sequential voltage switching between the analysis steps. Without deteriorating the peak resolution, four SDS-protein analyses with integrated ITP-GE system resulted in a decreased detectable concentration of approximately 40-fold compared to the GE mode only. A good calibration curve for molecular weights of SDS-proteins indicated that the integrated ITP-GE system can be used for qualitative analysis of unknown protein samples.     

Effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on protein separation by hollow fiber flow field-flow fractionation

Effects of protein denaturation and formation of protein-sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) complexes on protein separation and identification were investigated using hollow fiber flow field-flow fractionation (HF5) and nanoflow liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-ESI-MS-MS). Denaturation and formation of protein-SDS complexes prior to HF5 separation resulted an increase in the retention of few protein standards due to unfolding of the protein structures and complexation, yielding ~30% increase in hydrodynamic diameter. In addition, low molecular weight proteins which could be lost from the HF membrane due to the pore size limitation showed an increase of peak recovery about 2-6 folds for cytochrome C and carbonic anhydrase. In the case of proteins composed of a number of subunits, denaturation resulted in a decrease in retention due to dissociation of protein subunits. A serum proteome sample, denatured with dithiothreitol and SDS, was fractionated by HF5, and the eluting protein fractions after tryptic digestion were analyzed for protein identification using nLC-ESI-MS-MS. The resulting pools of identified proteins were found to depend on whether the serum sample was treated with or without denaturation prior to the HF5 run due to differences in the aqueous solubility of the proteins. The enhancement of protein solubility by SDS also increased the number of identified membrane proteins (54 vs. 31).     

Native and sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis of proteins on a single microchip

Simultaneous electrophoresis of both native and Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) proteins was observed on a single microchip within 20 min. The capillary array prevented lateral diffusion of SDS components and avoided cross contamination of native protein samples. The planar sputtered electrode format provided a more uniform distribution of separation voltage into each of the 36 parallel microchannel capillaries than platinum wire electrodes commonly used in conventional electrophoresis. The customized geometry of the stacking capillary machined into the cover plate of the microchip facilitated reproducible sample injection without the requirement for stacking gel. Polyimide served as a mask and facilitated insulation of the anode and cathode to prevent electrode lift off and deterioration during continuous electrophoresis, even at a constant current of 8 mA. Improved protein separation was observed during capillary electrophoresis at lower currents. Ferguson plot analysis confirmed the electrophoretic mobility of native globular proteins in accordance with their charge and size. Corresponding Ferguson plot analysis of SDS-associated proteins on the same chip confirmed separation of marker proteins according to their molecular weight.