Characterization of the interaction between phospholipid and protein by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

We report an electrophoretic mobility shift-based method to study the inter actions between phospholipids and proteins by capillary electrophoresis wit h laser-induced fluorescence detection. A fluorogenic dye, 3-(2-furoyl)quin oline-2-carboxaldehyde (FQ), was used to label phosphatidylserine (PS). The n the FQ labeled PS (FQ-PS) was used as the fluorescent probe for monitorin g the association between PS and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Two conjugates were observed to form between each PS species and BSA, indicating that two interactions exist between these PS species and BSA. We can also detect th e competitive association with BSA between labeled PS and unlabeled PS. Thi s method only needs a minute volume of sample. It is highly sensitive and c an be used to detect the interaction between phospholipids and nanomolar co ncentrations of proteins, such as BSA. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Scien ce B.V.