What are the negitives of gel electrophoresis?

Question

this is for DNA gel electrophoresis

Answer 1

Why did everybody metion Ethidium Bromide? DO we even know that the question was about DNA gel electrophoresis and not protein gel electrophoresis? The latter, is generally called PAGE (polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis) and allow the separation of the proteins in a sample according to their molecular size. The detection is normally colorimetric, by gel staining with either Comassie blue dye (dissolved in Methanol/Acetic acid), or by Silver nitrate staining. I suppose the negatives of it is that, unless a western blot is performed (antibody recognition of specific proteins of interest), the size of a band in not a good enough parameter to identify the nature of the protein. Moreover, there could be several proteins with the same size in a sample. Finally, a color-based staining is not very sensitive and you need a lot of material . In case a western blot is performed, the limitations are due to the availability of specific antibodies and to the fact that the outcoming signal is not always quantitative.

Answer 2

If it is a protein gel, then running a gel only tells you the size of the protein and if it is a 2 D gel then it tells you the pI. It does not tell you the 3 D structure of the protein or its function and its interactions. It only provides very little information.

Answer 3

I think this guy might have been asking about something related with the positive and negative polarity of the gel box terminals.

Regardless, it is a poorly worded, poorly spelled question. It is impossible to really determine what the asker wants to know. I suspect that the asker himself is not even sure what he wants to know. I think that the asker's life will not change much even if he/she succeeds in finding an appropriate answer to this question.

Answer 4

This is an odd question. I guess the negatives are that it takes time, electricity and usually ethidium bromide is used for staining which is a powerful carcinogen.

But I really can't think of too many negatives, it's a very common and powerful tool for research.

Answer 5

Negative comes about when you are not very good at it and overload the sample. Run it in a hood and quit looking at it and don't move it around !
Otherwise it is a very good tool generally speaking . It's been around for over 20 years . Look in the literature for tips, Good Luck.

Answer 6

Definitely the Ethidium Bromide. Powerful carcinogen does not even begin to cover it.

Answer 7

I have some best links from where you will find more informative and best answers.
Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SDS-PAGE
http://www.answers.com/topic/sds-page-1