TCEP

TCEP (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine) is a reducing agent frequently used in biochemistry and molecular biology applications. It is often prepared and used as a hydrochloride salt. TCEP is also available as a stabilized solution at neutral pH and immobilized onto an agarose support to facilitate removal of the reducing agent.

Additional recommended knowledge

Daily Visual Balance Check

Weighing the right way

What is the Correct Way to Check Repeatability in Balances?

Applications

TCEP is often used as a reducing agent to break disulfide bonds within and between proteins as a preparatory step for gel electrophoresis.

Compared to the other two most common agents used for this purpose (dithiothreitol (DTT) and β-mercaptoethanol), TCEP has the advantage of being odourless, more powerful reductant, irreversible reductant, more hydrophilic and more resistant to oxidation in air than is DTT. Finally, it does not reduce metals used for metal chelation purification.