[63] Properties of detergents

The properties of detergents that have been used for solubilization of membranes and as a solvent medium for membrane proteins are summarized and some facts relevant to the choice of deterGents for particular experiments are presented.

Abstract

This chapter reviews the use of detergents for solubilization of membranes and as a solvent medium for membrane proteins. It summarizes the properties of detergents that have been used for these purposes and presents some facts relevant to the choice of detergents for particular experiments. The lipids and proteins of a native membrane interact with each other in a complex fashion that differs in detail from membrane to membrane. The optimal detergent for a particular membrane or membrane protein has to be found empirically and may depend on the type of experiment one wants to do. It should be noted that exchange of one detergent for another is relatively simple. One may use different detergents for initial solubilization and delipidation for subsequent protein characterization and for reconstitution into a lipid vesicle. Integrity of a protein may require contacts among polar groups that are outside the lipid bilayer in the native membrane, possibly including interactions with peripheral proteins adjacent to the membrane or with nucleic acid in the case of a nuclear or viral membrane. Such contacts are influenced by pH, ionic strength, and specific ions.