Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase

Guanidine Hydrochloride is a strong protein denaturant and chaotropic agent. It is a white crystalline powder that is highly soluble in water and is commonly used in the laboratory for the denaturation and subsequent refolding of proteins.

Chemical Properties

Guanidine Hydrochloride (GdnHCl or GuHCl) is a strong chaotrope and denaturant, which disrupts the native conformation of proteins, thereby unfolding them. It is a white crystalline powder with the chemical formula C2H6ClN3. It has a molar mass of 95.53 g/mol and is highly soluble in water.

Uses

Guanidine Hydrochloride is widely used in the laboratory for the denaturation and subsequent refolding of proteins. It is also used in the isolation of RNA and the reduction of disulfide bonds. In addition, it is used in the pharmaceutical industry as an ingredient in some drugs.

Mechanism of Action

Guanidine Hydrochloride denatures proteins by disrupting the hydrogen bonds that maintain the secondary and tertiary structure of proteins. This leads to the unfolding of the protein, exposing the hydrophobic core. The protein can then be refolded by removing the Guanidine Hydrochloride.

Safety

Guanidine Hydrochloride is a hazardous substance. It is harmful if swallowed, inhaled, or comes into contact with skin. It can cause serious eye damage. Therefore, it should be handled with care, using appropriate personal protective equipment.

See Also

• Protein denaturation
• Chaotropic agent
• Hydrogen bond
• Hydrophobic effect