System for rapid high-resolution gel electrophoresis

Abstract

Electrophoretic systems, formulations and methods are described which allow a user to perform electrophoresis experiments under conditions of high voltage and with reduced run time. An electrophoretic system, formulation or method may be run at 50% higher field strength than comparable systems already in use in the art. The presently described systems and formulations may be run at voltages above 225 V, above 250 V, above 275 V, above 300 V, above 325 V or above 350 V. The time required for performing an electrophoresis experiment may be reduced to less than about 30 minutes, less than about 20 minutes, less than about 15 minutes or less than about 12 minutes.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to techniques and formulation for use in gel electrophoresis. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel systems and formulations for rapid, high resolution gel electrophoresis at substantially neutral pH.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Gel electrophoresis is a common procedure for the separation of biological molecules, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), polypeptides and proteins. In gel electrophoresis, the molecules are separated into bands according to the rate at which an imposed electric field causes them to migrate through a filtering gel.[0005]The basic apparatus used in this technique consists of a gel enclosed in a glass tube or sandwiched as a slab between glass or plastic plates. The gel has an open molecular network structure, defining pores which are saturated with an electrically conductive buffered solution of a salt. These pores through the gel are...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]In the presently described embodiments, electrophoretic systems, formulations, kits and methods are described that allow a user to perform electrophoresis experiments under conditions of high voltage and reduced run time. The systems formulations and methods improve upon those already known in the art and allow the user to generate electrophoretically resolved protein samples with a high degree of resolution and a reduced amount of time than currently available systems and formulations. An electrophoretic system, formulation or method practiced in accordance with the presently disclosed embodiments may be run, for example, at 50% higher field strength than comparable systems already in use in the art. In some embodiments, an electrophoresis gel prepared in accordance with the systems, methods and formulations described herein may be run at voltages above 225 V, above 250 V, above 275 V, above 300 V, above 325 V or above 350 V. In some embodiments, an electrophoresis gel prepared in accordance with the systems, methods and formulations described herein may be using a field strength in the range of about 12 v / cm to about 20 v / cm, or at least 12.0-13.0 V / cm, at least 13.5-14 V / cm, at least 15.0-15.5 V / cm, at least 16.0-17.0 V / cm, or at least 17.5-18.5 V / cm.

Problems solved by technology

However, maintaining uniformity between gels is difficult because each of these factors is sensitive to many variables in the chemistry of the gel system.

Images