Urea, MP Biomedicals™

Description

Formed by the enzymatic reactions of the Kreb's cycle. Urea, MP Biomedicals is a principal protein metabolite end product of nitrogen metabolism and the major product for the removal of free ammonia (NH4+) in vivo. It is a mild agent usually used in the s

Urea is a mild agent usually used in the solubilization and denaturation of proteins. It is also useful for renaturing proteins from samples already denatured with 6M guanidine hydrochloride such as inclusion bodies; and in the extraction of the mitochondrial complex. It is commonly used to solubilize and denature proteins for denaturing isoelectric focusing and two-dimensional electrophoresis and in acetic acid-urea PAGE gels. May be used with guanidine hydrochloride and dithiothreitrol (DTT) in the refolding of denatured proteins into their native or active form.

Urea in solution is in equilibrium with ammonium cyanate. The form that reacts with protein amino groups is isocyanic acid. Urea in the presence of heat and protein leads to carbamylation of the proteins. Carbamylation by isocyanic acid interferes with protein characterization because isocyanic acid reacts with the amino terminus of proteins, preventing N-terminal sequencing. Isocyanic acid also reacts with side chains of lysine and arginine residues resulting in a protein that is unsuitable for many enzymatic digests. In addition, carbamylation often leads to confusing results from peptides having unexpected retention times and masses.

Urea is used in cell or tissue culture media to increase the osmolality.

Urea has also been used as fertilizer because of the easy availability of nitrogen; in animal feeds; it is reacted with aldehydes to make resins and plastics; condensed with malonic ester to form barbituric acid; used in the paper industry to soften cellulose; used as a diuretic; enhances the action of sulfonamides; an antiseptic.

Specifications

Chemical Identifiers

• CAS: 57-13-6
• Molecular Formula: CH4N2O
• Molecular Weight (g/mol): 60.056
• InChI Key: XSQUKJJJFZCRTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• Synonym: carbamide, isourea, carbonyldiamide, ureophil, carbonyldiamine, carbamimidic acid, pseudourea, ureaphil, urevert, alphadrate
• PubChem CID: 1176
• ChEBI: CHEBI:48376
• IUPAC Name: urea
• SMILES: C(=O)(N)N

• Absorbance: ≤0.2 (OD260nm and OD280 [7M aq soln])
• Density: 1.335g/cm³ at 20°C (Lit.)
• pH: 7.5 to 9.5 (7M aq. soln.)
• Melting Point: 130°C to 140°C
• Boiling Point: 135°C (literature) (decomposition)
• Quantity: 1kg
• Solubility Information: One gram dissolves in 1mL water, 10mL 95% ethanol (100mg/mL), 1mL boiling 95% ethanol, 20mL absolute ethanol (50mg/mL), 6mL methanol (166mg/mL), 2mL glycerol (500mg/mL); Soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid; almost insoluble in chloroform, ether.
• Formula Weight: 60.06
• Physical Form: White Prills
• Grade: Reagent
• Vapor Pressure: 0.000016hPa at 25°C (Lit.)

Safety and Handling

Recommended Storage

Store at Room Temperature (15–30°C).