The 9 best biological buffers for electrophoresis
Biological buffers are an essential part of electrophoresis techniques. They are usually added to solutions in order to make the pH stable while a current is carried through the sample. Additionally, buffers provide the ions necessary for electrophoretic migration.
The ideal buffer for electrophoresis depends on the isoelectric point (the pH at which a particular molecule carries no net electrical charge) of the sample being analyzed.
Although pre-made buffer solutions for electrophoresis are available in the market (especially Tris based buffers - TAE, TBE, etc), it is possible to make your own solutions using some of Hopax’s biological buffers.
We created a list of Hopax’s buffers often used in electrophoresis and added links to some academic references to help you choosing the best option for your research.
1 - Tris Buffer
Used in: Gel electrophoresis (TAE or TBE solutions)
Useful pH range: 7.5-9.0
pKa (25°C): 7.8-8.2
Molecular weight: 121.14
Specifications / Price: Click here
Useful references:
- Sanderson, B. A., Araki N., Lilley J. L., Guerrero G., & Lewis L. K. (2014). Modification of gel architecture and TBE/TAE buffer composition to minimize heating during agarose gel electrophoresis. Analytical Biochemistry, Volume 454, Pages 44-52. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000326971400092X
- Booker, C. J., Sun, S., Woolsey, S., Mejia, J. S., & Yeung K. K. C. (2011). Removal of sample background buffering ions and myoglobin enrichment via a pH junction created by discontinuous buffers in capillary electrophoresis. Journal of Chromatography A, Volume 1218, Issue 33, Pages 5705-5711. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967311008697
Further reading:The uses of Tris buffer - A starting guide
Further reading:Solubility of Tris buffer in different solvents
Used in: Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 6.5-7.9
pKa (25°C): 7.0-7.4
Molecular weight: 209.3
Useful reference:
- Mansour, F.H. & Pestov D. G. (2014). Separation of long RNA by agarose-formaldehyde gel electrophoresis. Analytical Biochemistry, Volume 441, Issue 1, Pages 18-20. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003269713002844?via%3Dihub
Further reading:8 uses of MOPS buffer you didn't know
Further reading:Why use MOPS?
Used in: Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 5.8-7.2
pKa (25°C): 6.3-6.7
Molecular weight: 209.2
Useful references:
- Nijtmans, L. G., Henderson, N. S., & Holt, I. J. (2002). Blue Native electrophoresis to study mitochondrial and other protein complexes. Methods, 26(4), 327-334. Available in https://win.molecularlab.it/public/data/valeriamassa/2007124181837_bn-page.pdf
- Silva, J. M. & McMahon, M. (2014). The Fastest Western in Town: A Contemporary Twist on the Classic Western Blot Analysis. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (84) Available in https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4028330/
Read more about Hopax Bis-Tris
Further reading:The uses of Bis-Tris Buffer - A starting guide
Used in: Capillary electrophoresis / Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 6.1-7.5
pKa (25°C)1: 6.6-7.0
Molecular weight: 182.2
Useful references:
- Hamoudová, R., & Pospíšilová, M. (2006). Determination of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen in pharmaceuticals by capillary zone electrophoresis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 41(4), 1463-1467. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0731708506002792#!
- Liu, Q., Li, X., & Sommer, S. S. (1999). pK-matched running buffers for gel electrophoresis. Analytical Biochemistry, 270(1), 112-122. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003269799940642?via%3Dihub
Used in: Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 7.6-9.0
pKa (25°C): 8.1-8.5
Molecular weight: 163.2
Useful references:
- Williams, T. I., Combs, J. C., Thakur, A. P., Strobel, H. J., & Lynn, B. C. (2006). A novel Bicine running buffer system for doubled sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of membrane proteins. Electrophoresis, 27(14), 2984-2995. Available in https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/elps.200500730
- Klafki, H., Wiltfang, J., & Staufenbiel, M. (1996). Electrophoretic Separation of βA4 Peptides (1–40) and (1–42). Analytical Biochemistry, Volume 237, Issue 1, 15, Pages 24-29. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003269796901955?via%3Dihub
Used in: Capillary electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 9.7-11.1
pKa (25°C): 10.2-10.6
Molecular weight: 221.32
Useful references:
- Prange, A., & Schaumlöffel, D. (1999). Determination of element species at trace levels using capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 14(9), 1329-1332. Available in https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/1999/ja/a901749f#!divAbstract
- Nguyen A., Luong J. H. T. & Masson C. (1990). Capillary Electrophoresis for Detection and Quantitation of Domoic Acid in Mussels. Analytical Letters, 23:9, 1621-1634. Available in https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00032719008052513
Used in: Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 8.9-10.3
pKa (25°C): 9.4-9.8
Molecular weight: 237.32
Useful references:
- Liu, Q., Li, X., & Sommer, S. S. (1999). pK-matched running buffers for gel electrophoresis. Analytical Biochemistry, 270(1), 112-122. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003269799940642?via%3Dihub
- Madej, K., Woźniakiewicz M., & Karabinowska K. (2012). Capillary electrophoresis screening method for six tricyclic antidepressants in human serum. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica - Drug Research, Vol. 69 No. 6 pp. 1023-1029. Available in https://www.ptfarm.pl/pub/File/Acta_Poloniae/2012/6/1023.pdf
Used in: Capillary electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 8.6-10.0
pKa (25°C): 9.3-9.7
Molecular weight: 207.3
Useful references:
- Lavigne, V., Pons, A., & Dubourdieu, D. (2007). Assay of glutathione in must and wines using capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection: changes in concentration in dry white wines during alcoholic fermentation and aging. Journal of Chromatography A, 1139(1), 130-135. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967306020954#!
- Cunliffe, J. M., Baryla, N. E., & Lucy, C. A. (2002). Phospholipid bilayer coatings for the separation of proteins in capillary electrophoresis. Analytical Chemistry, 74(4), 776-783. Available in https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a4d0/7e21f0ec4652b4eab396b53c1d836290390d.pdf
Used in: Gel electrophoresis
Useful pH range: 7.4-8.8
pKa (25°C): 8.0-8.3
Molecular weight: 179.2
Useful references:
- Liu, Q., Li, X., & Sommer, S. S. (1999). pK-matched running buffers for gel electrophoresis. Analytical Biochemistry, 270(1), 112-122. Available in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003269799940642?via%3Dihub
- Monthony, J. F., Wallace, E. G., & Allen, D. M. (1978). A non-barbital buffer for immunoelectrophoresis and zone electrophoresis in agarose gels. Clinical Chemistry, 24(10), 1825-1827. Available in https://clinchem.aaccjnls.org/content/clinchem/24/10/1825.full.pdf
Further reading:Why use TRICINE Buffer
Further reading:TRICINE handling tips that you must know
Hopax Biological Buffers
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