An important and essential tool in protein analysis is electrophoresis. Protein electrophoresis allows researchers to separate complex protein samples by their molecular size and/or net charge on polyacrylamide gels. The proteins can be subsequently visualized with various protein stains or further analyzed by transferring to a solid membrane (Western blotted; see Western Blot Analysis kit (BE-503)).
Students will learn the principles of various types of electrophoresis, including denaturing and non-denaturing electrophoresis, and how this powerful technique is used to analyze proteins. The kit will introduce students to the different separation matrices currently in use and will understand their differing separation properties and their role in protein analysis. Students have an option of casting their own electrophoresis gels using polyacrylamide or using pre-cast commercially available gels.
This kit is provided with all of the reagents, buffers and supplies needed for casting acrylamide gels, preparing protein samples, running electrophoresis, and staining the gels for visualization of protein bands. Test protein samples and protein standards are also provided with this kit.
Supplied with components needed for hands-on experimentation for six workstations of 4-5 students or 24-30 students. Supplied with Teacher’s Guide and separate Student’s Guides.
Applications
This lab activity teaches students:
- Principle of protein electrophoresis and its various applications.
- Hands-on lab activities to run electrophoresis.
- Casting of electrophoresis gels, protein sample preparation, and running electrophoresis with test samples.
- Staining electrophoresis gels for visualization of resolved protein bands.
- Use of protein standard for determination of protein mass.