New Gels from Bio-Rad Deliver Protein Separation and Visualization in 25 Minutes

Criterion™ TGX (Tris-Glycine eXtended) Stain-Free™ precast gels from Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., when combined with Bio-Rad’s Gel Doc™ EZ imager, provide researchers with the fast protein separation and visualization.

Handcast and precast gels currently available take an average of 45 minutes to run. Following electrophoresis, Coomassie staining — the traditional protein gel staining method — can add another two hours of work before analysis of protein migration patterns can begin.

Researchers using Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels and the Gel Doc EZ Imager can achieve protein separation, gel imaging, and data analysis in 25 minutes — without the need for staining. Further, protein detection with this approach is superior when compared to the Commassie staining system. In a side-by-side run of broad 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. This process includes a unique trihalo compound that allows rapid fluorescent detection of proteins without the need for staining.”

After a run, gels can be visualized on the Gel Doc EZ imager. With the simple push of a button, the gel documentation system provides researchers with publication-quality images in as little as five minutes.

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.

Key benefits of Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels include:

•Reduced time to results: researchers can achieve protein separation, gel imaging, and analysis in 25 min

•Greater transfer efficiency: proteins can be transferred onto a PVDF or nitrocellulose membrane in as little as 20 min

•Versatility: the same gel can be used for western blotting, standard staining methods, and mass spectrometry analysis

•Cost effective: unlike other precast gels which require more expensive specialized buffer systems and stains, Criterion TGX Stain-Free precast gels use the standard Laemmli buffer system and do not require staining

•Stability: Criterion TGX Stain-Free gels can be stored for up to 12 months without losing performance quality due to its patented long shelf life formulation

Criterion TGX Stain-Free gels are available in 4–15%, 4–20%, and a unique formulation, Any kDTM, that allow the resolution of proteins across a wide range of molecular weights (10–250 kD).