In electrophoresis, what effect can high voltage have on proteins?

In electrophoresis, applying high voltage can indeed lead to the damage of proteins. This occurs because the increased energy from high voltage can cause excessive heating within the gel or the buffer solution. As the temperature rises, proteins can denature, losing their native structure and potentially becoming inactive. The integrity of the proteins is critical for accurate analysis in electrophoresis, so maintaining an appropriate voltage is essential to prevent such damage.

While high voltage may enhance migration speed and potentially improve resolution in some contexts, these benefits are often overshadowed by the risk of damaging the proteins, making it a critical point to understand in the practical application of electrophoresis techniques.