Recent developments in capillary and chip electrophoresis of bioparticles: Viruses, organelles, and cells

In appropriate aqueous buffer solutions, biological particles usually exhibit a particular electric surface charge due to exposed charged or chargeable functional groups (amino acid residues, acidic carbohydrate moieties, etc.). Consequently, these bioparticles can migrate in solution under the influence of an electric field allowing separation according to their electrophoretic mobilities or their pI values. Based on these properties, electromigration methods are of eminent interest for the characterization, separation, and detection of such particles. The present review discusses the research papers published between 2008 and 2010 dealing with isoelectric focusing and zone electrophoresis of viruses, organelles and microorganisms (bacteria and yeast cells) in the capillary and the chip format.