A new high-performance thin layer chromatography-based assay of detergents and surfactants commonly used in membrane protein studies

作者：Barret Laurie Anne; Polidori Ange; Bonnete Francoise; Bernard Savary Pierre; Jungas Colette^*

来源：Journal of Chromatography A, 2013, 1281: 135-141.

DOI：10.1016/j.chroma.2013.01.061

• HPTLC method
• Membrane protein detergent assay
• n-Dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside determination
• Detergent exchange analysis

The hydrophobic nature of membrane proteins (MPs) necessitates the use of detergents for their extraction, solubilization and purification. Because the concentration of amphiphiles is crucial in the crystallization process, detergent quantification is essential to routine analysis. Here we describe a quantitative high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method we developed for the detection of small quantities of detergent bound to solubilized MPs. After optimization of aqueous deposit conditions, we show that most detergents widely used in membrane protein crystallography display distinctive mobilities in a mixture of dichloromethane, methanol and acetic acid 32:7.6:0.4 (v/v/v). Migration and derivatization conditions were optimized with n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside (DDM), the most popular detergent for membrane protein crystallization. A linear calibration curve very well fits our data from 0.1 to 1.6 mu g of DDM in water with a limit of detection of 0.05 mu g. This limit of detection is the best achieved to date for a routine detergent assay, being not modified by the addition of NaCl, commonly used in protein buffers. With these chromatographic conditions, no prior treatment is required to assess the quantities of detergent bound to purified MPs, thus enabling the quantification of close structure detergents via a single procedure. This HPTLC method, which is fast and requires low sample volume, is fully suitable for routine measurements.

• 出版日期2013-3-15
• 单位中国地震局