Patent ID: 9005418
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for separating proteins contained within a biological sample by electrophoresis in a gel along a linear dimension between first and second ends of said gel and detecting said proteins so separated, said method comprising: (a) loading said sample onto said gel and electrically connecting said first and second ends of said gel with electrodes through electrode buffers in which said electrodes are immersed, wherein at least one of said electrode buffers has suspended therein a halo-substituted organic compound that covalently reacts with tryptophan residues upon irradiation with ultraviolet light to form fluorescent compounds, said halo-substituted organic compound bearing a negative charge, (b) energizing said electrodes to opposing polarities in a direction selected to cause said proteins to distribute within said gel along said linear dimension and to cause said halo-substituted organic compound to migrate into said gel from said electrode buffer, wherein said electrode that is immersed in said electrode buffer in which said halo-substituted organic compound is suspended is energized as a cathode, and (c) with said proteins so distributed and said halo-substituted organic compound having so migrated into said gel, irradiating said gel with ultraviolet light to react tryptophan residues on said proteins with said halo-substituted organic compound to form fluorescent derivatives of said proteins and detecting fluorescent signals emitted from said fluorescent derivatives.