Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Electrophoretic Separation of Proteins
Published on: June 12, 2008
Protein separation by continuous-flow electrophoresis in microgravity
M J Clifton1, H Roux-de Balmann, V Sanchez
1Laboratoire de Genie Chimique, Universite Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
Abstract:
During the IML-2 space shuttle mission, the RAMSES instrument was operated in the Spacelab module. This continuous-flow electrophoresis device performs separation and purification of protein solutions on a preparative scale. Samples containing artificial mixtures of pure proteins were used to test the capabilities of the device, and useful separations were obtained for proteins having a mobility difference of only 3 x 10(-9) m2 V-1 s-1. Operating conditions that cannot be applied on earth were explored for two different sample concentrations, one of which is too high to allow treatment on earth. It agrees well with a previously published numerical model in that the main cause of loss in resolution in this process is the electrohydrodynamic spreading of the protein filaments.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
SDS-PAGE
A variation of gel electrophoresis, termed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), is commonly used for separating proteins according to their molecular size by passing them through a polyacrylamide gel. Because of the varying charges associated with amino acid side chains, PAGE can be used to separate intact proteins...
Two-dimensional Gel Electrophoresis
The first dimension separation uses the isoelectric focusing or IEF technique performed on immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips that separate proteins according to their isoelectric points.
Biological samples, such as cells...
Centrifugation
Electrophoresis: Overview
There...
Capillary Electrophoresis: Instrumentation
Capillary Electrophoresis: Applications
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) separates ionic components based on their electrophoretic mobility. It has been used to separate proteins, amino acids,...

