Buffers, Especially the Good Kind.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Chemical Biology

Background:

• Norman Good and colleagues developed essential hydrogen-ion buffers for biological research in 1966.
• These buffers, known as
• Good's buffers
• became widely adopted in scientific research.
• The original paper has over 2500 citations.

Observation:

• The widespread use of Good's buffers means they are often used without critical re-evaluation.
• The common buffer Tris is noted for its limitations in certain biochemical applications.

Findings:

• The paper established criteria for effective hydrogen-ion buffers in biological systems.
• Ten novel buffers were synthesized and validated, forming the basis of modern biochemical buffering.

Implications:

• There is a need to develop new buffers by integrating Good's foundational principles with recent advancements in protein chemistry.
• Synthesizing novel buffers could overcome limitations of existing ones, like Tris, and improve experimental outcomes.