A New Electrophoretic Medium and its Application to the Resolution of Human Hæmoglobin 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 described^2,3. 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 hæmoglobin variants, using carboxymethyl cellulose gel as the supporting medium.