Merck, I5513-100G, Imidazole

Imidazole, also known as Glyoxalin, is an aromatic heterocyclic diazole and a key biological buffer with a pH range of 6.2 to 7.8 at 25°C. It has a wide range of applications in molecular biology, biochemistry, and proteomics. In proteomics, imidazole is essential for eluting histidine-tagged proteins from IMAC columns. It is a strong chelator of divalent cations, such as nickel and zinc, which disrupts the interaction between the His-tag and the metal ions. This allows for the efficient elution of purified proteins. Furthermore, imidazole is indispensable for enhancing protein purity. It is widely used in preparing buffer solutions optimized for downstream purification columns. Imidazole solutions are also effective elution and washing agents throughout protein purification processes. Additionally, imidazole can be used for assays of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and reverse staining of SDS-PAGE gels for protein detection. Imidazole is a versatile and valuable reagent for a wide range of biological applications. It is an essential component of many buffers and is also used in protein purification and detection protocols.