Merck, M1254-5KG, MOPS

MOPS (3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid) also known as Propane Sultone buffer, is a versatile \Good′s buffer\ extensively employed in biological research. It shares structural similarities with MES (2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid), featuring a morpholine ring. In terms of physiological relevance, MOPS′ pKa of 7.2 closely aligns with physiological pH, making it suitable for studies requiring a near-neutral environment. Compared to MES with a pKa of 6.1, MOPS offers a more physiologically relevant buffering capacity. MOPS serves various functions in diverse research domains. As a buffering agent, it can be used to stabilize pH in cell culture media, promoting optimal cell growth and function. Additionally, it may find application in protein purification in chromatography, stabilizes protein solutions, and acts as a reliable running buffer in various electrophoretic techniques, enabling efficient separation and analysis of biomolecules. MOPS also efficiently lyses cells for subsequent protein or nucleic acid extraction and stabilizes enzymes in solution, ensuring their activity for research purposes. It further proves valuable in fine-tuning the pH of growth media for optimal cell growth. MOPS possesses additional advantages such as minimal interaction with metal ions especially with copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co) ions, making it ideal for studies involving metal ions. It exhibits excellent water solubility, facilitating its use in various buffer formulations, and minimal lipid solubility, ensuring impermeability to membranes and minimizing interference with cellular processes. In summary, MOPS is a reliable buffer widely utilized across diverse biological disciplines, distinguished by its versatility, physiological relevance, minimal metal interaction, and ease of use, with its extensive applications in cell biology, protein studies, electrophoresis, and biochemical research.