The effect of oxidation or alkylation on the separation of wool keratin proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Comparative two-dimensional electrophoretic (2-DE) studies were performed over a time-course to examine the effect of oxidation or alkylation on the separation of wool keratin proteins. The effect of oxidation was followed by treating scoured wool fibres with increasing levels of hydrogen peroxide, ranging from 0-12 g/L, using conditions mimicking the industrial wool bleaching process. Peroxide treatment was found to have only a minor effect on the 2-DE separation of the intermediate filament protein (IFP) class.