Size and charge distribution of macromolecules in living systems

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Abstract

We report the statistical distributions of size and charge in protein molecules in living systems. The data have been plotted from more than 500 entries. 57% of the native proteins have molecular weights between 25,000 and 150,000 daltons. In oligomeric proteins, 71% of the subunits have molecular weights in the range 10,000–60,000. As for the subunit stoichiometry in oligomeric proteins, 50% of all the possible structures are dimeric, 30% tetrameric and 8% hexameric. More than one third of the proteins (38%) have pl values within 1.5 pH unit (pH4.5–6.0). 70% of the total proteins have pI values below pH 7 and 30% above it. On the basis of these data, guidelines are given for a purification strategy when using SDS-electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing.

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