Reagents and instruments for immunology, cell biology and molecular biology.

Beta-D-glucopyranoside series

Often the first choice and, coincidentally, the most popular detergents for membrane protein work are non-ionic, sugar-based detergents, mostly derived from maltose or glucose. These detergents are mild and non-denaturing because they disrupt protein-lipid and lipid-lipid interactions rather than proteinprotein interactions. The sugar serves as a polar head group with a non-polar alkyl chain attached. The hydrophilic head groups offer ample strength to extract proteins while still providing the capability to stabilize proteins in solution and promote crystal growth. These detergents are also well chronicled for their ability to stabilize other large macromolecules as well.

These micelle-producing detergents are perfect for both protein extraction and maintaining solubility and stability in aqueous environments. Glucoside detergents have a long track record of crystallizing membrane proteins for x-ray crystallization studies or creating the necessary stable tertiary structure for NMR work. Anatrace detergents are the most cited detergents in journal articles pertaining to structure and function of membrane proteins.

The use of D-glucopyranoside derivatives as detergents for membrane proteins is a well-established practice in biochemical and biophysical studies. These detergents are part of the broader class of non-ionic detergents and are selected for their ability to solubilize membrane proteins while maintaining their native structure. Here are some notable members of the beta-D-glucopyranoside series commonly used as detergents for membrane proteins.