INEXPENSIVE AND EASILY BUILT SMALL SCALE 2D ELECTROPHORESIS EQUIPMENT

In the 2-dimensional acrylamide gel electrophoresis technique of Kaltschmidt and Wittmann, the dimensions of the gel slabs used in the original form (200 .times. 200 .times. 5 mm) limit its usefulness because their thickness prevents the use of autoradiography to detect labeled proteins. When large numbers of 2-dimensional separations have to be carried out, the amounts of gel components required may also prove to be a limiting factor. A small scale 2-dimensional electrophoresis apparatus is described, based on that described by Elson, which overcomes these disadvantages. The gel slabs used (140 .times. 135 .times. 1 or 2 mm) require approximately 10-fold smaller amounts of gel components than those described by Kaltschmidt and Wittman, and can be dried without distortion for autoradiography. The apparatus is inexpensive and can be rapidly and easily assembled with minimal workshop facilities. A procedure for drying gel slabs is also presented. The procedure is illustrated by the separation of Escherichia coli 50S ribosomal proteins.