Patent ID: 6887668

Claim:
A method for separating and detecting nucleic acids contained in a sample by electrophoresis, comprising: (a) providing an electrophoresis system having an anode end and a cathode end; (b) loading the sample to the system from the cathode end; (c) separating the nucleic acids contained in the sample by moving the nucleic acids in the presence of a high-resolution buffer from the cathode end toward the anode end by applying a voltage therebetween, wherein the high-resolution buffer comprises a high-resolution intercalating dye, wherein the high-resolution intercalating dye is selected from a group consisting of Ethidium Bromide (EB), Propidium Iodide (PI), and Acidine Orange (HCl salt); (d) loading a high-affinity intercalating dye into the system from the anode end, wherein the intercalating dye has a positive charge and DNA affinity constant of at least 10 6 M âˆ’1 , and wherein the intercalating dye moves from the anode end toward the cathode end under the voltage applied therebetween, and forms complexes with the separated nucleic acids; and (e) detecting the complexes.