FLUOROGENIC SUBSTRATES FOR HYDROLASE DETECTION FOLLOWING ELECTROPHORESIS

Fluorogenic substrates provide a highly sensitive and in many instance s specific method to detect hydrolytic enzymes after electrophoretic s eparations. Factors affecting sensitivity and specificity of the title substrates are generally discussed. Techniques of fluorogenic substra te application after polyacrylamide, agarose or starch gel electrophor esis, cellulose acetate electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing are t reated in detail. Examples of the detection of esterases, glycosidases and peptidases using fluorogenic substrates such as naphthol, naphthy lamine, 4-methylumbelliferone and 4-methyl-7-aminocoumarin derivatives are given. Applications to clinical, biological and food chemistry ar e outlined.