Chapter 5, Problem 12E

Summary Introduction

To explain: Whether the protein exhibits a sedimentation coefficient corresponding to 200kD or 800kD.

Concept introduction: Gel filtration is a technique used for the separation of molecules, on the basis of molecular size. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is used to analyze the protein mixture. Under the effect of electric field, the proteins with higher and lower molecular mass will run slowly and rapidly in the media, respectively. Sedimentation coefficient of a particle is used to characterize its behavior in sedimentation processes, usually centrifugation. Ultracentrifugation is a technique that involves the application of centrifugal force to separate the molecules from the solution, based on their viscosity of the medium, shape, density, size, and the rotor speed.