Native gel什麼意思

"Native gel" is a term used in molecular biology and biochemistry, particularly in the context of gel electrophoresis, which is a technique used to separate macromolecules such as proteins or nucleic acids based on their size, charge, or conformation.

In gel electrophoresis, a "native gel" refers to a gel that does not denature the proteins or molecules being separated. Native gels maintain the natural, or native, conformation of the proteins, which can be important for studying the properties of proteins in their functional, three-dimensional state.

Denaturation is the process of breaking down the tertiary or quaternary structure of a protein, often by exposure to extreme conditions such as high temperature, acidic or basic pH, or the addition of chemicals like urea or guanidine hydrochloride. When proteins are denatured, they lose their biological function.

Native gel electrophoresis allows the separation of proteins based on their size (molecular weight) and their ability to form complexes or multimers. This technique can be used to study the interactions between proteins, the formation of protein complexes, and the purity of a protein sample.

In contrast, "denaturing gel electrophoresis" is used to separate proteins by their primary structure (amino acid sequence). In a denaturing gel, proteins are forced out of their native conformation, which allows for the separation of proteins based on their molecular weight alone, without the influence of their three-dimensional structure or the formation of complexes.