A simple drying solution that minimizes cracking during air-drying of polyacrylamide gels

Abstract

Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a routine technique used in biochemistry. Air-drying is an economical method of gel preservation that does not require expensive equipment. Our laboratory uses drying frames from RPI, which recommends a drying solution of 20% ethanol and 10% glycerol. The solution performs well for gels up to 10% acrylamide and 0.75 mm thickness; however, crack formation may occur if nicks or bubbles are present. The literature shows various drying methods and combinations of alcohol (30–100%) and glycerol (5–35%), but still reports cracking problems. Tests were conducted to independently evaluate the effects of ethanol and glycerol concentration on gel cracking. Here we introduce a simple solution that does not require glycerol or modified frames to generate preserved, crack-free sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels.

Keywords

• drying solution
• gel cracking
• gel drying
• polyacrylamide gel
• SDS-PAGE