Fast detection of nucleic acids and proteins

Molecular Probes' new Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) kit provides a fast, easy and quantitative method for the rapid detection of nucleic acids and protein on the same gel without the need for radioactive labels.

The kit uses two fluorescent dyes: SYBR Green EMSA stain for RNA or DNA detection, and SYPRO Ruby EMSA stain for protein visualisation. Using the EMSA technique, gels are stained following electrophoresis. This removes the need to pre-label DNA with radioisotopes, biotin or a fluorescent dye before the binding reaction, thus the problem of interference when binding biotin fluorescent dye labels is eliminated.

Nucleic acid staining is complete in just 20 minutes and protein staining in three hours. Results are obtained much more rapidly than using radioactive labelling, which may require multiple exposure times, or chemi-luminescence-based detection, which requires blotting and multiple incubation steps.

This kit also allows ratiometric measurements of nucleic acid and protein in the same band, providing additional detailed information on the binding interaction. Both stains can be detected using a standard UV transilluminator or a laser scanner. Digital images can easily be overlaid for a two-colour representation of nucleic acid and protein in the gel.