CAPSO sodium salt

Chemical Properties

White powder

Uses

CAPSO (N-cyclohexyl-2-hydroxyl-3-aminopropanesulfonic acid) sodium salt is used to formulate CAPSO buffer, a zwitterionic buffer that is useful in the range of pH 8.9 - 10.3. CAPSO buffer is used in western and immunoblotting experiments as well as protein sequencing and identification. Used in the electrotransfer of proteins to PVDF (sc-3723) or nitrocellulose membranes (sc-3718, sc-3724). CAPSO is not one of the original " Good " buffers, although it has a similar structure to the other propanesulfonic acids and was selected as a highly water soluble buffering reagent with an optimum buffering pH of 10.4 and minimal reactivity with enzymes or proteins, minimal salt effects.

Advantages

CAPSO sodium salt is a specialized zwitterionic buffer used primarily in biochemical and molecular biology research to maintain the pH stability of solutions. The buffering capacity of CAPSO arises from its zwitterionic nature, which means it contains both positive and negative charges that enable it to respond dynamically to changes in the hydrogen ion concentration. This dual charge characteristic allows CAPSO to stabilize pH by accepting or donating protons, depending on the surrounding conditions. This makes it an excellent choice for maintaining the optimal activity of enzymes and other sensitive biological molecules during experiments that might be susceptible to fluctuations in pH. In research settings, CAPSO has been utilized in various applications, including protein solubilization and purification, where other standard buffers might fail due to their limited effective pH range. Its ability to maintain a consistent pH in alkaline conditions without interfering with biological reactions or precipitating divalent cations makes it a preferred buffer in electrophoresis and other critical analytical techniques for studying complex biomolecular interactions.