Acrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis provides very high resolution of DNA molecules 10–3,000 bp long. Under the appropriate conditions, DNA molecules differing in size by only a single base pair can be resolved (learn more: Nucleic acid electrophoresis education). We offer convenient reagents for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, including hassle-free precast Invitrogen Novex polyacrylamide gels, DNA ladders, and UltraPure reagents for pouring your own gels.

Novex Precast DNA Gels

We offer a wide variety of Novex precast gels. To obtain the best result based on your application (PCR fragment separation, DNA retardation, etc.), it is important to choose the correct gel percentage, buffer system, gel format, and thickness. Figure 1 shows the migration pattern of nucleic acids run on Novex gels. Use the table to help you select the optimal gel for your experiments.

Figure 1. Gel migration chart. The table below demonstrates patterns of nucleic acid separation on Novex gels. Use the table below to select the optimal gel for your experiments. For optimal resolution, nucleic acid bands should migrate within the shaded areas.

Choosing the Right Novex Gel

The size of Novex precast gels is 10 x 10 cm (gel size is 8 x 8 cm). We recommend using the XCell SureLock Mini-Cell Electrophoresis System to obtain optimal and consistent performance.

For DNA analysis

Novex TBE Gels provide the highest resolution for DNA fragments 10–3,000 bp long. Use these gels for any DNA electrophoresis application, including analyzing restriction-enzyme digests, PCR products, Southern analysis, and primer analysis.

For DNA retardation and gel shift assays

Novex DNA Retardation Gels consist of 6% polyacrylamide prepared with 0.5X TBE as the gel buffer. They provide good resolution of 60–2,500 bp DNA fragments. 0.5X TBE buffer offers good fragment separation in electrophoresis, yet its ionic strength is low enough to promote DNA-protein interactions.

For denaturing DNA analysis

Novex TBE-Urea Gels are optimized for analysis and purification of single-stranded DNA or RNA 20–800 bases long. They are an ideal choice for synthetic oligonucleotide analysis and purification, RNase protection assays, in vitro transcription studies, and northern blot analysis.

Novex TBE gel products
Novex DNA retardation gel products
Novex TBE-urea gel products

Related products

DNA Ladders and Markers

We offer a broad selection of DNA ladders and markers ranging from 10 bp to 50 kb for accurate analysis of linear double-stranded DNA in agarose gels. A variety of these ladders is available in the ready-to-use Invitrogen TrackIt and E-Gel formats, including the 1 Kb DNA Ladder and the 100 bp DNA Ladder.

DNA Stains

Many DNA stains are available including SYBR Safe DNA gel stain and ethidium bromide. SYBR Safe DNA gel stain is a superior DNA stain that is nontoxic and nonmutagenic, yet has similar DNA detection sensitivity as ethidium bromide.

UltraPure Agarose and Reagents

We offer a wide range of Invitrogen UltraPure agarose products for preparing your own gels for nucleic acid electrophoresis. All UltraPure reagents are made from the highest purity biochemicals for maximum reliability and superior performance.

Thermo Scientific Owl Gel Electrophoresis Systems

Horizontal (agarose) or vertical (polyacrylamide) gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids and protein using tanks, chambers, casters, plates, spacers, combs, power supplies, and other accessories.

Resources

Nucleic acid electrophoresis products
Explore Thermo Fisher Scientific’s suite of products for all your electrophoresis needs.

Nucleic acid electrophoresis education
Learn about gel electrophoresis basics, workflow, considerations, applications, and troubleshooting for separation and analysis of nucleic acids.

DNA and RNA protocols
Find easy-to-follow protocols for everyday experiments, including agarose protocols and mRNA protocols.

Support

Nucleic acid purification and analysis support center
Find tips, troubleshooting help, and resources for your nucleic acid purification and analysis applications.

Contact us
For additional questions, reach out to our Technical Application Scientists.

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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.