Patent ID: 8778685

Claim:
A system for measuring or characterizing a protein in a sample in real time during electrophoresis, the system comprising: a dual-labeled protein standard comprising: a plurality of purified proteins of differing molecular weight; wherein at least a portion of the purified proteins are covalently labeled with a first fluorescent dye, said first fluorescent dye having a first excitation energy and a first emission spectrum; and wherein at least two of the purified proteins are covalently labeled with a second fluorescent dye, said second fluorescent dye having a second excitation energy and a second emission spectrum; a sample comprising a protein to be characterized, said protein being covalently labeled with said second fluorescent dye; and a means of simultaneously detecting said first and second fluorescent dye; wherein the first fluorescent dye and the second fluorescent dye are different; wherein the first excitation energy and the second excitation energy are substantially similar; wherein the purified proteins labeled with the first fluorescent dye comprise a molecular weight standard, and wherein the purified proteins labeled with the second fluorescent dye comprise a mass standard.