MP Biomedicals™ 2-Mercaptoethanol, Electrophoresis Grade

Description

2-Mercaptoethanol, Electrophoresis Grade reduces disulfide linkages in solubilizing proteins for gel electrophoresis.

• 2-Mercaptoethanol is used to reduce disulfide linkages in solubilizing proteins for gel electrophoresis (typically used in SDS-PAGE sample buffer at 5% concentration).
• Also reduces excess oxidative polymerization of catalysts.
• Cleaving intermolecular (between subunits) disulfide bonds allows the subunits of a protein to separate independently on SDS-PAGE.
• Cleaving intramolecular (within subunit) disulfide bonds allows the subunits to become completely denatured so that each peptide migrates according to its chain length with no influence due to secondary structure.
• In solution, 2-mercaptoethanol is readily oxidized in air to a disulfide, especially at alkaline pH. Because of this property, it is widely used to protect proteins, enzymes in particular, from becoming inactive.
• An excess of 2-mercaptoethanol (generally used at 0.01 M) will maintain the protein thiol groups in their reduced state.

Solubility

• Miscible with water, alcohol, ether and benzene.
• Solutions containing even trace levels (nanomolar) of some metal salts (especially copper (II) or cobalt(II)) are unstable at pH >5 and progressively less stable at higher pH values.
• Most buffers (especially phosphate) contain enough metal salts to lead to substantial loss of -SH within 1 to 2 days.
• The addition of EDTA helps to stabilize solutions.
• If diluted product needs to be stored, it is recommended to store at pH 6 to 7 with EDTA (0.05 mM) at 2 to 8°C for no more than 2 to 3 days; however, we highly recommend adding neat 2-mercaptoethanol as needed to the sample.

Specifications

• pH Range: 5.0 (0.1 M in water)
• Molecular Weight (g/mol): 78.13 g/mol
• Purity: ≥98%
• CAS: 60-24-2
• Form: Liquid
• Boiling Point: 157°C
• Density: 1.114 g/mL at 25°C
• Flash Point: 68°C (154.4°F)
• Vapor Density: 2.69
• Vapor Pressure: 1 mm Hg at 20°C
• Quantity: 25 g
• Synonym: β-Mercaptoethanol, 2-Hydroxyethylmercaptan, BME, Thioethylene glycol, 2-Hydroxy-1-ethanethiol, Monothioethyleneglycol
• Solubility: Miscible with water, alcohol, ether and benzene.
• Melting Point: <-50°C

Unless specified otherwise, for research or further manufacturing use only, not for direct human use.