Ultrathin-layer horizontal high-resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis of legume seed proteins with intermediate protein staining

Abstract

Legume seed proteins extracted with urea-containing buffer are fractionated by high-resolution 2D-electrophoresis (urea-IEF x pore gradient SDS-PAGE), both dimensions in horizontal ultrathin-layer polyacrylamide gel slabs. High reproducibility is obtained, because the first dimension is performed in a slab gel, where a large number of protein samples are separated under identical conditions. The gel of the first dimension (IEF) is fixed, stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G 250, and destained before application to the second-dimension gel (SDS-PAGE). Prestaining of the focused proteins does not alter the protein pattern obtained after SDS electrophoresis. Thus, bands are made visible before separation in the second dimension, and the amount of Ampholine in the dye front is reduced during electrophoresis. The first-dimension gels can easily be stored in the destaining solution until they are run in the second dimension. As the proteins are fixed in the gel, there is no loss of proteins and defocusing of bands due to diffusion during the SDS-equilibration procedure. Loading of the dimensionstable gel strip onto the second dimension gel is a very easy operation, since the ultrathin gel strip adheres to a plastic foil and is simply laid into a moulded gel through. The gel strip is not imbedded with polymerizing acrylamide or agarose solution like in the conventional gel-rod-techniques, because a very good surface contact is obtained between the two flat gels.