Electrophoresis gels
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
InventorKenneth D. Cole
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides electrophoresis apparatus and electrophoresis methods employing gellan gum based gels employing divalent metal cation and diamine cross-linking agents. The gels are reversible under conditions that do not damage the biomolecules separated using the gels. The present invention also provides novel gellan gum-based gels which are cross-linked which employ a diamine cross-linking agent.
Claims24
An electrophoresis apparatus comprising a gel comprising gellan gum, a cross-linking agent comprising a divalent metal cation, and a size-separation modifying polymer;
- and
- means for exposing said electrophoresis medium to an electric field.
An electrophoresis apparatus comprising:
- an electrophoresis medium comprising a gel comprising gellan gum and at least one cross-linking agent comprising ethylene diamine;
- and
- a means for exposing said electrophoresis medium to an electric field.
A electrophoresis apparatus comprising:
- an electrophoresis medium comprising a gel comprising gellan gum and at least one cross-linking agent comprising hydroxy propane diamine;
- and
- means for exposing said electrophoresis medium to an electric field.
A method for recovering a biological material comprising:
- adding a mixture containing a biological material to an electrophoresis medium comprising a gel including gellan gum and a divalent metal cation cross-linking agent;
- exposing said electrophoresis medium to an electric field to separate in said electrophoresis medium said biological material from other compounds in said mixture;
- removing a zone of the electrophoresis medium containing the biological material from the electrophoresis medium;
- exposing the removed zone of electrophoresis medium to a chelating agent to chelate the divalent metal cation and, thereby, liquefy the gel of the removed zone of electrophoresis medium;
- and
- separating the biological material from the liquefied gel of the removed zone of electrophoresis medium, thereby recovering the biological material.
A method for recovering a biological material comprising:
- adding a mixture containing a biological material to an electrophoresis medium comprising a gel including gellan gum and a diamine cross-linking agent;
- exposing said electrophoresis medium to an electric field to separate in said electrophoresis medium said biological material from other compounds in said mixture;
- removing a zone of the electrophoresis medium containing the biological material from the electrophoresis medium;
- adding a pH modifying agent to the removed zone of electrophoresis medium to increase the pH and liquefy the gel of the removed zone of electrophoresis medium;
- and
- separating the biological material from the liquefied gel of the removed zone of electrophoresis medium, thereby recovering the biological material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.