Demonstration of binding of triton X-100 to amphiphilic proteins in crossed immunoelectrophoresis

Abstract

Binding of non-ionic detergents is a characteristic property of ‘intrinsic’, amphiphilic membrane proteins [ 1,2] and there is currently an increasing interest in methods which permit detection of such detergentbinding. In this paper it will be shown how incorporation of 14Cor 1251-labelled Triton X-100 in agarose gels renders detection of amphiphilic proteins possible in crossed immunoelectrophoresis of complex protein mixtures. Due to binding of Triton X-100, such proteins give rise to radioactive precipitates which may be selectively visualized by autoradiography.