E using bio-rad’s stain-free technology, Appendix e using bio-rad’s stain-free technology, Appendix e, using bio-rad’s stain-free technology – Bio-Rad Image Lab™ Software User Manual
Page 247: Eusing bio-rad’s stain-free technology
User Guide | 247
E
Using Bio-Rad’s
Stain-Free Technology
Bio-Rad’s stain-free gels eliminate the time-consuming staining and destaining
steps required by other protein detection methods. Stain-free gels include
unique trihalo compounds that allow rapid fluorescent detection of proteins with
the ChemiDoc™ MP imager without staining.
When using Image Lab™ software version 5.1 or higher, the ChemiDoc MP
imager is stain-free enabled to image these gels:
Criterion™ TGX Stain-Free™ precast gels
Criterion Stain Free™ precast gels
Mini-PROTEAN
®
TGX Stain-Free™ precast gels
TGX Stain-Free™ FastCast™ acrylamide solutions for handcast gels
When trihalo compounds in the gels encounter tryptophan residues, a UV
light–induced reaction produces fluorescence, which can be easily detected by
the ChemiDoc MP imager within gels or on low fluorescence polyvinyl difluoride
(PVDF) membranes. Activation of the trihalo compounds in the gels adds 58 Da
moieties to available tryptophan residues and is required for protein visualization.
Proteins that do not contain tryptophan residues cannot be detected using this
technology. The sensitivity of stain-free gels is comparable to staining with
Coomassie Brilliant Blue for proteins with a tryptophan content >1.5%;
sensitivity superior to Coomassie staining is possible for proteins with a
tryptophan content >3%.