Question

Explain in brief zone electrophoresis.

Answer 1

Zone Electrophoresis. Zone electrophoresis (ZE) is an electrophoretic separation technique typically used for analyzing proteins, nucleic acids, and biopolymers. During the process, different species in a sample are transported in a continuous electrolyte buffer system, subject to a potential gradient.

Answer 2

The term electrophoresis describes the migra­tion of a charged particle under the influence of electric field (electro-charged particle and phoresis-movement). Many important biologi­cal molecules such as amino acids, peptides, proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids possess ionisable groups and, therefore, at any given pH, exists in solution as electrically charged species either as cations or anions.

Under the charge of an electric field these charged particles will migrate either to cathode or to an­ode, depending on the nature of their net charge. This is one of the most fundamental processes used in all types of molecular biol­ogy and RDT experiments.

The Rate of migration of charged mol­ecules depends upon following factors:

(a) The strength of electric field, size and shape.

(b) Relative hydrophobicity of the sample.

(c) Ionic strength and temperature of the buffer.

(d) Molecular size of the taken biomolecule.

(e) Net charge density of the taken bio mole­cule.

(f) Shape of the taken biomolecule.

In the process of electrophoresis large mol­ecules have more difficulty in moving through the supporting medium (i.e., gel) whereas the smaller medium has more mobility through it.