Multiple-step ligand injection affinity capillary electrophoresis for determining binding constants of ligands to receptors.

This work demonstrates the use of multiple-step ligand injection affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) using two model systems: vancomycin from Streptomyces orientalis and carbonic anhydrase B (CAB, EC 4.2.1.1). In this technique a sample plug of receptor and non-interacting standards is injected by pressure and electrophoresed in a buffer containing a given concentration of ligand. The sequence is repeated for all concentrations of ligand generating a single electropherogram containing a series of individual sample plugs superimposed on environments of buffer containing increasing concentrations of ligand. Analysis of the change in the relative migration time ratio, RMTR, relative to the non-interacting standards, as a function of the concentration of the ligand, yields a value for the binding constant. A competitive assay using the technique is also demonstrated using neutral ligands for CAB. These values agree well with those estimated using other binding and ACE techniques. Data demonstrating the quantitative potential of this method are presented.