I am trying to find more information on low pH acidic lysis buffers to replace a current alkaline lysis process. Most acidic lysis buffers I have seen described contain citrate. I would like to avoid citrate due to downstream incompatibility. Would it be possible to formulate a cell lysis buffer that is based on formic or acetic acid? What are the advantages (if any) to using citrate based buffers?
Citrate is tri-basic, with pKa-values of 3.10, 4.06 and 6.39; it can thus buffer in a wide range between pH 2 and 8. It is cheap, non-toxic and has GRAS-status. The most important disadvantage (in some applications) is that it forms complexes with multivalent metals.
You can lyse a mammalian cell in culture with almost anything. Try 0.1% Triton-X-100 in any buffer that makes your target protein happy. Or sonication. Or look at them funny.
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