Which factors influence the rate of electrophoretic migration of proteins?

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The rate at which a protein moves during electrophoresis is governed by its mobility in an electric field. The velocity is proportional to the electric field strength (voltage) and the protein’s mobility, which depends on the driving force from its net charge and the friction it experiences while moving through the gel. A protein’s net charge determines how strongly it is pulled by the field, while its size and shape, along with the gel’s pore size, determine how easily it can navigate the porous matrix. The buffer’s ionic strength (buffer strength) affects how charges are screened and how much heat is generated, both of which influence mobility, and temperature affects the viscosity of the medium and the current, altering migration speed. Because pH alters net charge, it is effectively encompassed by the net charge factor. All of these aspects together explain why the rate depends on net charge, size, pore size, voltage, buffer strength, and temperature, making this option the most complete.