Patent ID: 7498140

Claim:
A method for detecting a target biomolecule directly in a gel comprising (1) separating the target biomolecule from other substances by electrophoresis in a gel and, while the target molecule remains in the gel, (2) associating the target biomolecule with a probe having a label which is capable of providing a detectable signal, (3) removing any non-associated probe from the gel, and (4) detecting the presence of the target biomolecule by observing a signal attributable to the presence of the labeled probe associated with the target biomolecule; wherein, prior to associating the target biomolecule with the probe and while the target biomolecule remains separated in the gel, (A) the gel is shrunk by at least about 10% by immersing the gel in a water miscible, aqueous extracting medium containing at least about 1 mM base, and then (B) the gel is washed with water for a sufficient time to restore the gel to substantially its original size, the method detecting at least one target biomolecule directly in the gel.