Two-dimensional separation of erythrocyte membrane proteins.

1). Erythrocyte membrane proteins eluted with Triton X-100 or dilute EDTA have been separated two-dimensionally by isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels containing 1 percent Triton X-100 plus 8 M urea, followed by electrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulfate. Characteristic patterns, consistent among 40 healthy donors, were obtained. 2. The resulting patterns contain at least 30 components. The "spectrin" components (sodium dodecyl sulfate Bands 1 and 2) focus in the same pH range. Other membrane components giving single bands in sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis appear to be heterogeneous. 3. Triton X-100, but not EDTA, extracts the principal membrane glycoproteins and the major "intrinsic" protein. Otherwise, proteins preferentially eluted by EDTA extract poorly with Triton X-100 and vice versa. 4. Membrane glycoproteins migrate anodally during electrofocusing and can be purified in a simple, one-step procedure.