Urea, 2M (CAS 57-13-6)

Urea, 2M, is a highly concentrated solution of urea, a small organic compound that plays a pivotal role in biochemical and molecular biology research, particularly in the study of protein structures. Urea acts primarily as a protein denaturant; it disrupts the hydrogen bonding that holds proteins in their three-dimensional structures without breaking peptide bonds, thereby unfolding proteins into their linear form. This mechanism is crucial for studying protein sequences and conformations, as it allows researchers to reduce the complex native structure of proteins and examine their polypeptide backbones. In protein research, urea solutions are commonly used in denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), a technique that separates proteins based on their molecular weight under denaturing conditions, providing valuable insights into protein composition and purity. Additionally, urea is used in the refolding of proteins, where controlled removal of urea can aid in the renaturation process after initial denaturation. This is particularly useful in recombinant protein production where high yields of properly folded proteins are desirable. Moreover, urea finds application in the solubilization of nucleic acids, facilitating the manipulation and analysis of RNA and DNA in various experimental protocols. Its ability to disrupt secondary and tertiary structures without degrading nucleic acid chains makes it a useful reagent in molecular biology for processes such as nucleic acid extraction and purification. Overall, 2M urea is an essential tool in the arsenal of life sciences research, enabling detailed structural and functional analyses of biomolecules.