1-D gel Electrophoresis
MDS provides 1-D gel electrophoresis services including SDS, native, and isoelectric focusing. This service is also designed to quantify proteins resolved by 1-D gel electrophoresis. Results are reported in a table showing percent total stain density for each band in a gel lane (2 lanes/sample) plus printouts of lane density profiles.
This service is also used to quantify proteins relative to a standard curve for determining percent of a known protein by weight in a sample. An example is the determination of percent casein in dairy products. Each sample is weighed along with standards and dissolved by boiling in an SDS buffer to a known concentration. A set of standards (4 concentrations in duplicate) is run with 2 concentrations of sample (in duplicate) on gels.
The gels are scanned, standard curves are generated, and the concentration of the unknown in the sample is determined from the standard curve. A report giving the concentration as well as a description of the method is sent to the customer. Unless otherwise requested, dried gels are filed rather than sent to clients.