A cheap alternative for protein separation
The purity of proteins is of great importance to a large number of industries from biotechnology to food chemistry. Iso-electric-focussing, the method used to separate protein components is made up of a gel matrix upon which the protein is loaded. A voltage is passed through the gel to grade the proteins by their optimum electrical charge. The gradient produced tells the scientist how pure the protein is. A cheap gel has been synthesised by creating a polymer base which achieves a better separation of proteins. This new gel provides clearer gradients and requires a lower voltage to operate. Equipment manufactured in conjunction with the gel is cheap and simple to operate making a laborious everyday task much quicker and easier.