Bio-Rad Criterion™ TBE-Urea Precast Gels - Manual (Page 36)

Detection
12
12.1 SDS-PAGE and Native PAGE Detection
Following electrophoresis, either stain the gel or use the Criterion Stain Free ™ system to visualize
proteins in the gel.
n
Refer to Table 12.1 for a comparison of total protein stains
n
For Criterion ™ TGX Stain-Free ™ and Criterion Stain Free ™ gels, immediately place the gel on
the tray of the Gel Doc ™ EZ imager; no additional fixation or rinsing steps are required.
If desired, stain with any compatible stains (Table 12.1) following imaging. Some stains, if
used prior to imaging, can impair imaging quality
Table 12 .1 . Total protein gel stains for use with Criterion gels .
Stain Sensitivity
(Lower
Limit)
Optimum
Protein Load
(µg/Band)
Advantages
Disadvantages
Imaging
Manual
Criterion Gels
Coomassie
R-250 36–47 ng ~0.5 Laboratory
standard Requires
methanol
destaining Photography
with white light
or transmission
densitometry Consult
literature
Bio-Safe ™
Coomassie
8–28 ng ~0.5 Nonhazardous 4307051
Zinc stain 1 6–12 ng ~0.2 High contrast, fast,
reversible Negative SDS-
PAGE stain, must
be photographed 4006082
Silver
Stain Plus
™ kit
0.6–1.2 ng ~0.01 Sensitive, robust,
mass spectrometry
compatible Does not stain
glycoproteins
well LIT442
Silver stain 0.6–1.2 ng ~0.01 Stains complex
proteins (glyco- or
lipoproteins) Not mass
spectrometry
compatible LIT34
Dodeca ™
silver stain kit
0.5–1.2 ng ~0.1 Convenient
staining for a large
number of gels 4110150
Oriole ™
fluorescent
gel stain
1
~2 ng ~0.1 High sensitivity,
broad dynamic
range, simple
one-step protocol Fluorescence
visualization
with UV transil-
lumination 10017295
1 Do not use zinc stain or Oriole fluorescent gel stain to stain native gels.
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