In molecular biology experiments, electrophoresis analysis is the core technology for separating and identifying biomolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. The choice of buffer directly affects the accuracy and reliability of experimental results, and MOPS (3- (N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid) buffer exhibits significant advantages in electrophoretic analysis due to its unique chemical properties and stability.
Chemical properties and buffering mechanism of MOPS
MOPS is an organic compound containing sulfonic acid groups and a morpholine ring, with a pKa value of 7.2 and an effective buffering range of pH 6.5-7.9. This range is close to the physiological pH value, which gives MOPS a natural advantage in simulating the biological environment in research. The buffering mechanism of MOPS maintains solution stability over a wide pH range through protonation and deprotonation reactions. Its moderate ion strength ensures both electric field uniformity and reduces non-specific interactions, providing an ideal migration environment for biomolecules.
The core advantages of MOPS in electrophoretic analysis
1. Protect the MOPS buffer solution of biomolecules to maintain a stable pH environment during electrophoresis, effectively preventing degradation or denaturation of RNA and proteins due to acid-base changes. Compared with traditional buffering agents, MOPS can significantly reduce the hydrolysis reaction of nucleic acids and maintain the natural conformation of proteins. Experiments have shown that RNA electrophoresis using MOPS buffer improves band clarity by about 30% compared to TAE buffer.
2. Improve the separation efficiency. The weak alkaline properties (pH 7.0-7.5) of MOPS provide uniform charge distribution for biomolecules and promote their effective migration in an electric field. In protein electrophoresis, the low viscosity property of MOPS reduces sample diffusion by about 25% and significantly improves resolution. Compared with TBE buffer, MOPS exhibits higher peak symmetry when separating proteins smaller than 15kDa.
3. Multi scene compatibility MOPS buffer is compatible with agarose gel, polyacrylamide gel and other electrophoresis systems. In Northern hybridization, MOPS as a transmembrane buffer can reduce non-specific binding of RNA to the membrane and improve hybridization efficiency. Its non fluorescent interference characteristic gives it an advantage in fluorescence labeled electrophoresis.
Comparison between MOPS and other buffering agents
1. TAE buffer: TAE has weak buffering capacity, but is easy to prepare and cost-effective, suitable for electrophoretic analysis of large molecular DNA fragments.
2. TBE buffer: It has high buffering capacity and is suitable for the separation of small molecule DNA fragments, but it may lead to RNA degradation in RNA electrophoresis.
Conclusion
MOPS buffer is becoming an important tool in the field of electrophoretic analysis due to its unique advantages. With the deepening of research, MOPS will play a key role in more fields and promote the innovative development of biotechnology. Whether in basic research or industrial applications, MOPS is known for its stable performance and outstanding performance. Whether in protein purification, electrophoresis, or cell culture, MOPS can provide reliable pH stability, helping researchers obtain accurate and reproducible experimental results.
Desheng is a professional manufacturer of biological buffering agents, established for more than ten years. It has rich experience in research and development, production, and product knowledge, and can provide customers with a large amount of technical support and after-sales guarantee. The biological buffer products currently produced include MOPS, TRIS, HEPES, TAPS, CAPS, BICINE, EPPS, PEP and a series of other biological buffer solutions. If you need them, please feel free to contact us at any time!
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!
