What Techniques are Commonly Used in Protein Purification?
Several techniques are employed based on the properties of the protein of interest:
- Affinity Chromatography: Utilizes the specific binding affinity of the protein to a ligand attached to the chromatography matrix. - Ion Exchange Chromatography: Separates proteins based on their charge by using a matrix with charged groups. - Gel Filtration Chromatography: Also known as size-exclusion chromatography, it separates proteins based on their size. - SDS-PAGE: Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to separate proteins based on their molecular weight. - Western Blotting: This technique is used to detect specific proteins through antibody binding after separation by SDS-PAGE.
