Method and device for separation of charged molecules by solution isoelectric focusing
AssigneeThe Wistar Institute
InventorsDavid W. Speicher, Xun Zuo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a novel solution isoelectric focusing device and method that can reproducibly fractionate charged molecules into well-defined pools. This approach can be applied to mixtures of charged molecules, such as eukaryotic proteome samples where reproducible resolution and quantitation of greater than 10,000 protein components is feasible.
Claims33
A chamber for holding a liquid, the chamber having a first porous charged membrane partition or a first membrane permeable to small ions at a first end, a second porous charged membrane partition or a second membrane permeable to small ions at a second end which is opposite the first end, and porous charged membrane partitions positioned along the chamber to define a plurality of compartments within the chamber such that each compartment holds a volume of liquid less than about 4 ml wherein each porous charged membrane partition comprises a different pH.
The chamber of 1 which contains at least 10 compartments to permit separating a mixture of at least ten species of charged molecules in liquid.
A chamber for holding a liquid, the chamber having a first porous charged membrane partition or a first membrane permeable to small ions at a first end, a second porous charged membrane partition or a second membrane permeable to small ions at a second end which is opposite the first end, and at least one porous charged membrane partition positioned along the chamber to define a plurality of compartments within the chamber such that each compartment holds a volume of liquid less than about 4 ml, said chamber further comprising an access port with a removable cap for each compartment.
A method of separating a mixture of at least about 10 species of charged molecules in liquid comprising the steps of:
- adding the charged molecules to a chamber for holding liquid having a first porous charged membrane partition or a first membrane permeable to small ions at a first end, a second porous charged membrane partition or a second membrane permeable to small ions at a second end which is opposite the first end, and at least one porous charged membrane partition positioned along the chamber to define a plurality of compartments within the chamber, each compartment holding a volume of liquid less than about 4 ml;
- and
- applying a direct current between the first end and the second end of the chamber while said liquid is held in said chamber, whereby the charged molecules are separated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.