What effect does SDS have on cell membranes in laboratory procedures?

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is a detergent commonly used in laboratory procedures, particularly in molecular biology and biochemistry. Its primary role is to disrupt cell membranes by solubilizing lipids and proteins, leading to cell lysis. This occurs because SDS has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, allowing it to interact with the lipid bilayer of cell membranes effectively. Upon interaction, the structured integrity of the membrane is compromised, causing it to break apart and ultimately result in the release of cellular contents, which is essential for extracting proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular components for further analysis.

In contrast, stabilizing membranes or enhancing membrane fusion would require different types of agents that do not disrupt the lipid bilayer, while precipitating proteins typically involves agents that cause proteins to aggregate or fall out of solution rather than lyse cells. Thus, the ability of SDS to lyse cells makes it a key reagent in various experimental protocols, such as preparing samples for SDS-PAGE analysis where proteins are separated based on their size.