Question

In determining if a small molecule acts like a LEDGIN with respect to IN, under which condition(s) should gel electrophoresis be performed?

A) I. Denaturing
B) II. Reducing
C) III. Native
D) I. Denaturing and II. Reducing

Answer 1

The correct option is C). To assess if a small molecule acts similarly to an LEDGIN about integrase, native gel electrophoresis should be used as it preserves protein complexes in their functional state.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine if a small molecule acts like an LEDGIN with respect to integrase (IN), native gel electrophoresis should be performed. Native gel electrophoresis allows proteins and protein complexes to migrate based on their size and shape without disrupting their non-covalent interactions or their native state. This is crucial when analyzing how a small molecule might affect the conformation or assembly of protein complexes such as LEDGINs with IN. In contrast, denaturing gel electrophoresis uses conditions that disrupt the tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins, thus separating them solely based on their molecular weight and not providing information on the functional interactions between a small molecule and IN.