DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER AND RELATIVE MOLECULAR MASS OF SUBUNITS IN AN OLIGOMERIC PROTEIN BY 2-DIMENSIONAL ELECTROPHORESIS - APPLICATION TO THE SUBUNIT STRUCTURE-ANALYSIS OF RAT-LIVER AMIDOPHOSPHORIBOSYLTRANSFERASE

To determine simultaneously the relative molecular mass (M(r)) of a native oligomeric protein, and the number and M(r) of its subunits. a method using two-dimensional electrophoresis was developed. To determine the M(r) of a native oligomeric protein, pore gradient gel electrophoresis was performed for the first dimension. Native proteins were dissociated into their subunits by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) in a gel slice, then applied to SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for the second dimension to determine the M(r) of subunits. The advantage, accuracy, limitations and application of the method are discussed.