The Ultrasolute family evolved from the first amphipol A8-35 is used for highly efficient solubilization and stabilization of membrane proteins without the use of detergents while preserving their activity. They demonstrate tolerance to moderate concentrations of divalent cations and exhibit no absorption at wavelengths >250 nm.
- Alternative names: CyclAPol C8-C0-50
- State: Lyophilized Powder, to be solved with water
- Buffer: HEPES
- pH after solving: 7.5
- Absorbance: <0.1 (280 nm, 1% solution)
- COA/AA Ratio: 1:1
- Cation tolerance: 25 mM
- Solubility: >10% (H₂O)
Ultrasolute™ amphipol 18 is a synthetic copolymer specifically designed for membrane protein scientists. This highly purified copolymer, with a Molecular weight (Mw) of approximately 7300, is part of a novel series of developed copolymers for solubilization and stabilization of membrane proteins, introduced in 2022. It's important to note that Ultrasolute™ amphipol 18, along with its counterpart Ultrasolute™ amphipol 17, distinguishes itself from other amphipols available from different providers, as it possesses the unique ability to solubilize and stabilize membrane protein in one step, unlike older technologies lacking this capability.
Ultrasolute™ amphipol 18 functions like a precision cookie cutter, extracting membrane proteins from the cell membrane while preserving the surrounding native phospholipids. The resulting nanodisc effectively makes the membrane protein into soluble in water, thanks to its hydrophobic surface facing the membrane phospholipids and a hydrophilic surface on the outer side. This distinctive configuration offers a compelling alternative to the conventional detergent-based approach for solubilizing membrane proteins. Furthermore, Ultrasolute™ Amphipol 18 provides the secondary option of creating nanodiscs using an artificial phospholipid composition, similar to MSP nanodiscs. Demonstrated success has been achieved with phospholipids such as dimyristoyl-glycerol-phosphocholine (DMPC) or palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidyl-choline (POPC).
The resulting Ultrasolute™ amphipol 18-nanodisc complex can be utilized in a multitude of biophysical assays, including SDS-PAGE, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), Western Blot, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and various chromatographic procedures, offering versatility and compatibility across a wide range of applications. To assist researchers in finding the most suitable nanodisc copolymer for their specific membrane protein, Ultrasolute™ amphipol 18 is part of our comprehensive synthetic nanodisc screening kit MAXI, which includes 17 different nanodisc copolymers in total. The product is delivered as a lyophilized powder to be dissolved in ddH₂O. The targeted concentration upon dissolving ranges between 0.1 and 2.5%, with 2.5% being the default concentration.
Delivery information: Shipping temperature: Ambient temperature; storage of lyophilized copolymer: −20 °C for several years; Storage of dissolved copolymer: 2 to 8 °C for several day.
