Old school 2D gel electrophoresis

I am interested in doing some proteomic work using 2D gel
electrophoresis. We have the hardware to run 2D gels, however our
equipment is many decades old and uses tube gels to resolve in the first
(IEF) dimension. Most of the published in the last 10+ years describes
a first dimension separation by immobilized pH strips, which is
presumably better.

Does anyone in this group have experience using tube gels? Does the
newer method truly warrant the costs associated with it (BioRad cost for
the power pack is ~$8,000)?

Does anyone have any advice to offer in using tube gels before I dive in?

Thanks,
Arne

--

__

Arne K Christensen

Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center
One Migratory Way, PO Box 796
Turners Falls, MA 01376

Email: [Only registered users see links. ]
Phone: (413) 863-3827
Fax: (413) 863-9810
URL: [Only registered users see links. ]

Am 25.04.2008, 16:06 Uhr, schrieb Arne K Christensen <[Only registered users see links. ]>:


Yes, and for good reasons:

- the flat gels use immobilised pH-gradients, which do not show cathodic
drift and work for protein with more alkaline pI. They are also more
reproducible than the ampholine based ones.

- cooling is much more effective

- in traditional tube gels the protein is added at the acidic side. In my
experience a lot of protein precipitates under these conditions and
doesn't enter the gel at all. In flat gels you can add the sample at
whatever pH you choose (or simply soak the sample into the gel during the
rehydration phase)

- tube gels tend to break when you push them out of the tube (or do not
come out in the first place). Flat gels have a plastic backing, which is
almost indestructible.



IMHO unequivocally yes, if you have to do it more than 2 or three times.
But if you want to fiddle with the tubes (just to see how heroic those
times were), at least polymerise a cotton thread into the gel for easier
handling (Patton et al., Biotechniques 8 (1990) 518-27). Btw, I was a very
satisfied customer of the Pharmacia IGPhor unit, no idea whether it's
still on the market (Pharmacia was bought by GE).