A new electrophoretic medium and its application to the resolution of human haemoglobin variants.

Abstract

SEVERAL techniques for the analysis of protein mixtures by either zone electrophoresis on inert media1 or chromatography on ion-exchange cellulose derivatives have been described2,3. Greater scope and versatility should result if the supporting medium used for zone electrophoresis itself ionizes. In standard gel-electrophoresis techniques, ion transport takes place almost exclusively through the interstitial solution. The incorporation of ion-exchange groups into a gel superimposes a selectivity effect, the migration of the ions being retarded to a varying extent depending on their affinity for the exchanger. Attempts to use ion-exchange cellulose papers in this way have so far been unsuccessful. It is, however, also possible to prepare these cellulose derivatives in gel form. Electrophoresis on such a continuous-phase ion-exchange medium has not been reported hitherto. This communication is a preliminary report on the combination of electrophoretic and ion-exchange techniques applied to the separation of human haemoglobin variants, using carboxymethyl cellulose gel as the supporting medium.