Isoelectric focusing of recombinant interferon-beta

Recombinant human interferon-beta (IFN-beta), a highly basic and hydrophobic protein, has been isoelectric focused using the nonionic detergent polyoxyethylene 12 lauryl ether (laureth 12). Laureth 12 preserved the solubility of IFN-beta during isoelectric focusing (IEF) under conditions where other nonionic reagents were ineffective. This detergent may perhaps be useful with other hydrophobic or membrane proteins. A highly automated electrophoresis system with short run times was adapted for rapid method development with a protein requiring non-standard conditions by hand-casting specialized gels for the system.