Electrophoresis system for multiple agarose slab gels

A method for the separation of multiple DNA samples on four different gel slabs which comprises:

• providing first and second spaced apart elongated containers which can be set in parallel fashion at a variable distance from one another and each container having an inside and an outside partition and housing a removable platinum electrode;
• adding a running buffer to each of said containers, said running buffer to contact said removable platinum electrode;
• preparing at least four agarose gel slabs each having a row of wells formed therein, by pouring an agarose solution which has been equilibrated at 50.degree. C. over at least four horizontal glass plates over each of which a well-forming comb has been placed parallel to the glass plate at a distance of about 2 mm from the surface of said glass plate;
• introducing DNA samples into wells of each agarose gel slab;
• arranging at least two agarose gel slab containing horizontal plates over said first and second containers by aligning both ends thereof respectively along the inner partitions of said first and second vessels;
• covering each end of each of said at least two agarose gel slabs with one edge portion of a sheet of a two-ply paper wick, and allowing the other edge portion of each sheet of two-ply paper wick to dip into the respective running buffer which is present in said first and said second container;
• disposing a pair of horizontal supporting rods spacedly above said at least two agarose gel slab containing horizontal plates which are directly arranged over said first and second containers;
• arranging the remaining agarose gel slab containing horizontal plates over said supporting rods substantially in alignment with said at least two agarose gel slab containing horizontal plates;
• covering each end of each of said remaining agarose gel slabs with one edge portion of a sheet of a six-ply paper wick, and allowing the other edge portion of each sheet of six-ply paper wick to dip into the respective running buffer which is present in said first and said second container;
• connecting the removable platinum electrodes housed in each container to a suitable power supply and allowing electrophoresis to take place, and
• visualizing the localized bands produced in said agarose gel slab.

A horizontal slab gel electrophoresis apparatus comprising:

• first and second spaced apart vessels, which are capable of being set at a variable distance from one another, each adapted to contain a running buffer;
• each vessel being provided with an electrode for connection to a suitable power supply;
• at least one horizontal plate to contain a slab gel, said plate disposed in bridging fashion over said first and said second spaced apart vessels;
• first means capable of establishing capillary contact between one end of said slab gel and the running buffer which is present in said first vessel;
• second means capable of establishing capillary contact between the other end of said slab gel and the running buffer which is present in said second vessel;
• a pair of horizontal supporting rods spacedly disposed above said at least one horizontal plate;
• at least one additional horizontal plate to contain a slab gel, placed on said horizontal supporting rods;
• third means capable of establishing capillary contact between one end of the slab gel formed on the at least one additional horizontal plate and the running buffer which is present in said first vessel;
• and
• fourth means capable of establishing capillary contact between the other end of the slab formed on the at least one additional horizontal plate and the running buffer which is present in said second vessel.

In a method for the separation of components from a mixture of molecules of mixed molecular weights, wherein a solution of said molecules is added to wells formed in a horizontal slab gel and said gel is thereafter treated by electrophoresis to produce localized bands each being characteristic of a specific molecular weight, the improvement which comprises:

• providing first and second spaced apart vessels, each containing a running buffer and being provided with an electrode;
• arranging at least one slab gel containing plate so as to horizontally bridge said first and said second vessels;
• arranging at least one additional slab gel containing plate in spaced superimposed parallel fashion above said at least one slab;
• establishing capillary contact first between one end of said slab gel and the running buffer which is present in said first vessel, and second between the other end of said slab gel and the running buffer which is present in said second vessel, as well as between one end of said at least one additional slab gel and the running buffer which is present in said first vessel, and the other end of said at least one additional slab gel and the running buffer which which is present in said second vessel;
• arranging a removable vertical plate in each said vessel, an electrically conductive wire being provided to run along said vertical plate into said running buffer to define an electrode;
• connecting both said electrodes to a suitable power supply;
• and
• visualizing the localized bands produced in said gel slab.