Final answer:
Smaller proteins travel faster in non-native PAGEs due to their shorter length caused by the removal of temporary signal peptides.
Step-by-step explanation:
In non-native PAGEs, proteins with smaller sizes tend to travel faster compared to larger proteins.
In a study by Blobel and colleagues, they found that mature secreted polypeptides, which are smaller in size, migrate faster on the gel than those translated in vitro, which are larger in size.
This discrepancy in migration rates can be explained by the presence of a temporary signal peptide in secretory proteins, which is removed as the polypeptide crosses the RER membrane. This shorter length allows the protein to travel faster in non-native PAGEs.