1 Is detergent polar nonpolar or both Using your knowledge o

1. Is detergent polar, nonpolar or both?

Using your knowledge of detergents molecular form, explain how detergent clean our greasy, dirty dishes?

2. Detergents are said to be amphipathic. what does this term mean?

Solution

Detergents are amphipathic since they contain both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-hating) regions. Detergents are generally used in the purification of integral membrane proteins. They act in a similar way to disintegrate the proteins from the lipid bilayers in grease, dirt dishes.

A detergent solubilizes the membrane but not denature the protein. Gentle detergents such as Triton X-100 or octyl glucoside is used in membrane solubilizing. Harsh detergents are used to clean our household dirts. The mechanism by which both act is that as they are amphipathic they readily intercalate into the lipid bilayer and disrupt the hydrophobic interactions. Once solubilized, the hydrophobic region of the protein is coated with a layer of detergent molecules which enables the protein to remain in solution.