SDS-PAGE
HOW DOES AN SDS PAGE GEL REALLY WORK?
Dyche Mullins 2/1/2002
The system most people use for separating proteins by gel electrophoresis was formulated by Laemmli (Nature 227:680-685 [1970]). It is such a commonly used laboratory technique that nowadays we take it for granted and I dare say that many of us don’t know how a discontinuous pH gel system actually works.
First the sample. Most SDS PAGE sample buffers contain the following: SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate, also called lauryl sulphate), b-mercaptoethanol (BME), bromophenol blue, glycerol, and Tris-glycine at pH 6.8. BME is