The Criterion TGX (Tris-Glycine Extended) Stain-Free precast gels, when combined with Bio-Rad's Gel Doc EZ imager, provide researchers with fast protein separation and visualisation.
Researchers using Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels and the Gel Doc EZ Imager can achieve protein separation, gel imaging and data analysis in 25min, without the need for staining.
Protein detection with this approach is superior when compared with the Commassie staining system, according to the company.
In a side-by-side run of a range standards and complex samples, the Criterion TGX Stain-Free system outperformed the Coomassie stain in terms of sensitivity, reproducibility and resolution.
'The Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels are a fast and convenient solution for electrophoresis,' said Kate Smith, senior product manager of Bio-Rad's Laboratory Separations Division.
'The gels can be run at higher voltages without compromising performance,' she added.
'This process includes a unique trihalo compound that allows rapid fluorescent detection of proteins without the need for staining,' Smith said.
After a run, gels can be visualised on the Gel Doc EZ imager.
With the push of a button, the gel documentation system provides researchers with publication-quality images in as little as 5min.
The Gel Doc EZ imager works by inducing a reaction between the gel's trihalo compounds and the tryptophan residues in the proteins.
The imager can detect the resulting fluorescence within gels or after transfer to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes.
Researchers can achieve protein separation, gel imaging and analysis in 25min, and proteins can be transferred onto a PVDF or nitrocellulose membrane in as little as 20min.
The same gel can be used for western blotting, standard staining methods and mass spectrometry analysis.
Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels use the standard Laemmli buffer system and do not require staining.
They can be stored for up to 12 months without losing performance quality due to their patented long-shelf-life formulation.
Criterion TGX Stain-Free gels are available in 4-15 per cent, 4-20 per cent, and a unique formulation - Any kDTM, allowing the resolution of proteins across a range of molecular weights (10-250kD).