Theory of counterion electrophoresis. Guidelines for determination of ligand-binding parameters

A theory is formulated to provide guidelines for the quantitative interpretation of steady-state counterion electrophoretic patterns (T.-H. Ueng and F. Bronne, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 197 (1979) 205) in terms of intrinsic ligand-binding constant and number of binding sites on the protein molecule. Briefly, the prescribed procedure calls for extrapolation of the steady-state binding constant to infinite dilution of protein to obtain a quantity which is the product of a readily evaluated kinetic factor and the intrinsic binding constant. On the other hand, extrapolation of the steady-state number of binding sites to infinite dilution can probably be dispensed with if determined at a reasonably low protein concentration.