The bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amine family buffers includes Bis-Tris, BES, and Bicine. Brief introduction of these three buffers are as follows.

Bis-Tris

Bis-tris is a zwitterionic buffering agent with pH range from 5.8 to 7.2. Bis-tris forms stable complex with Cu2+ and Pb2+ and a weak complex with many common metals, so formation constants should be taken into account when using this buffer in a solution containing metal ions. In various types of electrophoresis, Bis-Tris is used as a sample buffer, gel buffer and running buffer. And it is as a buffer during anion exchange chromatography. Due to low conductivity and high sensitivity, Bis-Tris is as a buffer to apply in NMR spectroscopy. Although Bis-Tris has been widely applied in different areas, it is not suitable for use with the bicinchoninic acid assay.

BES

BES is a zwitterionic buffer with pH range from 6.4 to 7.8. BES can be used as a binding buffer and eluent in cation exchange chromatography as well as a buffer in gel filtration chromatography. It was found that adverse formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles in culturing embryonic chondrocytes. But this adverse effect is absent in the non-zwitterionic buffered media. BES forms a complex with DNA which interferes with reactions between DNA and restriction enzymes. BES is suitable for use with the bicinchoninic acid assay.

Bicine

Bicine is a zwitterionic buffer with pH range from 7.6 to 9.0. Bicine forms stable complex with many common metals, such as Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+; therefore, stability constants should be taken into consideration when choosing this buffer. It has been used in solutions for protein crystallization and as a mobile phase buffer and eluent in cation exchange chromatography. Bicine serving as both a pH buffer and a metal ion buffer is usded in the polymerase chain reaction. Bicine is not suitable for use with the bicinchoninic acid assay.

Edited by Suzhou Yacoo Science Co., Ltd.