What is the purpose of the Elution Buffer during the purification of GFP?

The purpose of the Elution Buffer during the purification of GFP is to unbind proteins from the column. In protein purification techniques such as affinity chromatography, proteins are initially bound to a solid support (the column) through specific interactions. The Elution Buffer is formulated to disrupt these interactions, effectively releasing the target protein — in this case, GFP — from the column into the solution. This process often involves using a solution with a different pH, ionic strength, or specific competitive ligands that interfere with the binding affinity, allowing the desired proteins to be collected for further analysis or use.

The other options, while they address different aspects of protein behavior and purification, do not directly pertain to the primary role of the Elution Buffer in releasing GFP from the binding matrix. Maintaining structural integrity, enabling binding of hydrophobic proteins, or increasing salt concentration are not key functions of the Elution Buffer in this context.