Skip to main content

Cationic Electrophoresis

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Electrophoretic Separation of Proteins

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1855))

Abstract

Denaturing, discontinuous electrophoresis in the presence of SDS has become a standard method for the protein scientist. However, there are situations where this method produces suboptimal results. In these cases electrophoresis in the presence of positively charged detergents like cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) may work considerably better. Methods for electrophoresis and staining of such gels are presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Laemmli U (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227:680–685. https://doi.org/10.1038/227680a0

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J (1979) Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76(9):4350–4354. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.76.9.4350

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Dunn S (1986) Effects of the modification of transfer buffer composition and the renaturation of proteins in gels on the recognition of proteins on western blots by monoclonal antibodies. Anal Biochem 157(1):144–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(86)90207-1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Shirahama K, Tsujii K, Takagi T (1974) Free boundary electrophoresis of sodium dodecyl sulphate-protein polypeptide complexes with special reference to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. J Biochem 75(2):309–319 URL http://jb.oxfordjournals.org/content/75/2/309.full.pdf+html

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lane L, Copenhaver J, Lindenmayer G et al (1973) Purification and characterization of and [3H]ouabain binding to the transport adenosine triphosphatase from outer medulla of canine kidney. J Biol Chem 248(20):7197–7200 URL http://www.jbc.org/content/248/20/7197.full.pdf+html

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Rabilloud T, Girardot V, Lawrence JJ (1996) One- and two-dimensional histone separation in acidic gels: usefulness of methylene blue-driven photopolymerization. Electrophoresis 17(1):67–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.1150170112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Segrest J, Jackson R, Andrews E et al (1971) Human erythrocyte membrane glycoprotein: a re-evaluation of the molecular weight as determined by sds polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 44(2):390–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-291X(71)90612-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Panyim S, Thitipongpanich R, Supatimusro D (1977) A simplified gel electrophoretic system and its validity for molecular weight determinations of protein-cetyltrimethylammonium complexes. Anal Biochem 81(2):320–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(77)90703-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Eley M, Burns P, Kannapell C et al (1979) Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: estimation of protein subunit molecular weights using cationic detergents. Anal Biochem 92(2):411–419. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(79)90679-1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Macfarlane D (1983) Use of benzyldimethyl-n-hexadecylammonium chloride (“16-BAC”), a cationic detergent, in an acidic polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system to detect base labile protein methylation in intact cells. Anal Biochem 132(2):231–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(83)90001-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Mócz G, Bálint M (1984) Use of cationic detergents for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in multiphasic buffer systems. Anal Biochem 143(2):283–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(84)90664-X

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Akin D, Shapira R, Kinkade J (1985) The determination of molecular weights of biologically active proteins by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Anal Biochem 145(1):170–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(85)90343-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hartinger J, Stenius K, Högemann D et al (1996) 16-BAC/SDS–PAGE: a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis system suitable for the separation of integral membrane proteins. Anal Biochem 240(1):126–133. https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1996.0339

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Akins R, Levin P, Tuan R (1992) Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide discontinuous gel electrophoresis: Mr-based separation of proteins with retention of enzymatic activity. Anal Biochem 202(1):172–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(92)90224-U

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ornstein L (1962) Disk electrophoresis: I. Background and theory. Ann N Y Acad Sci 121:321–351. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1964.tb14207.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Jovin T (1973) Multiphasic zone electrophoresis. I. Steady-state moving-boundary systems formed by different electrolyte combinations. Biochemistry 12(5):871–879. https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00729a014

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Jovin T (1973) Multiphasic zone electrophoresis. II. design of integrated discontinuous buffer systems for analytical and preparative fractionation. Biochemistry 12(5):879–890. https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00729a015

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Jovin T (1973) Multiphasic zone electrophoresis. III. Further analysis and new forms of discontinuous buffer systems. Biochemistry 12(5):890–898. https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00729a016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Jovin T (1973d) Multiphasic zone electrophoresis. IV design and analysis of discontinuous buffer systems with a digital computer. Ann NY Acad Sci 209:477–496. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb47551.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Buxbaum E (2003) Cationic electrophoresis and electrotransfer of membrane glycoproteins. Anal Biochem 314(1):70–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2697(02)00639-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Pritchard D, Crawford C, Duce I et al (1985) Antigen stripping from the nematode epicuticle using the cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Parasite Immunol 7(6):575–585. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3024.1985.tb00101.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Freedman D, Nutman T, Ottesen E (1988) Enhanced solubilization of immunoreactive proteins from Brugia malayi adult parasites using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Exp Parasitol 65(2):244–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4894(88)90128-2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Maki K, Sagara J, Kawai A (1991) A cationic detergent, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), selectively dissociates the intermediate filament of the fibroblast. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 175(3):768–774. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-291X(91)91632-M

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kramer M (2006) A new multiphasic buffer system for benzyldimethyl-n-hexadecylammonium chloride polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins providing efficient stacking. Electrophoresis 27(2):347–356. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.200500563

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Wenge B, Bönisch H, Grabitzki J et al (2008) Separation of membrane proteins by two-dimensional electrophoresis using cationic rehydrated strips. Electrophoresis 29(7):1511–1517. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.200700546

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Buxbaum E (2012) Cationic electrophoresis. In: Kurien and scofield, p. 55–63, doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-542-8_14

    Google Scholar 

  27. Fenton H (1894) Oxidation of tartaric acid in presence of iron. J Chem Soc Trans 65:899–910. https://doi.org/10.1039/CT8946500899

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Rodbard D, Chrambach A (1971) Estimation of molecular radius, free mobility, and valence using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Anal Biochem 40(1):95–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(71)90086-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Stellwagen N (1998) Apparent pore size of polyacrylamide gels. Electrophoresis 19(10):1542–1547. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.1150191004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Heukeshoven J, Dernick R (1988) Improved silver staining procedure for fast staining in PhastSystem development unit i. staining of sodium dodecyl sulfate gels. Electrophoresis 9(1):28–32. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.1150090106

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Merril C, Goldman D, Sedman S et al (1981) Ultrasensitive stain for proteins in polyacrylamide gels shows regional variations in cerebrospinal fluid proteins. Science 211(4489):1437–1438. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6162199

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Goldberg H, Warner K (1997) The staining of acidic proteins on polyacrylamide gels: Enhanced sensitivity and stability of “stains-all” staining in combination with silver nitrate. Anal Biochem 251(2):227–233. https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1997.2252

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Segrest J, Jackson R (1972) Molecular weight determination of glycoproteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Meth Enzymol 28:54–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Thornton D, Holmes D, Sheehan J et al (1989) Quantitation of mucus glycoproteins blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes. Anal Biochem 182(1):160–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(89)90735-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Buxbaum E (2012) Fluorescent staining of gels. In: [36], 543–550, doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-542-8_14

    Google Scholar 

  36. Kurien B, Scofield R (eds) (2012) Protein electrophoresis—methods and protocols, Meth Mol Biol, vol vol. 869. Humana, Dordrecht ISBN 978-1-61779-820-7

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported in part by Kuwait University grant MPB029 and by Ross University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Buxbaum, E. (2019). Cationic Electrophoresis. In: Kurien, B., Scofield, R. (eds) Electrophoretic Separation of Proteins. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1855. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8793-1_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8793-1_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-8792-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-8793-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics