title: Direct determination of macromolecular charge by equilibrium electrophoresis.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Laue
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hazard
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ridgeway
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Yphantis
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000032:analysis; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D046911:Macromolecular Substances
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D046911:Macromolecular Substances