Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Experimental Approaches to Study Mitochondrial Localization and Function of a Nuclear Cell Cycle Kinase, Cdk1
Published on: February 25, 2016
A "de-streaking" method for two-dimensional electrophoresis using the reducing agent tris(2-carboxyethyl)-phosphine
Fengju Bai1, Sheng Liu, Frank A Witzmann
1Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA.
Abstract:
Optimal isoelectric focusing in the alkaline region remains a challenge in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), though various attempts had been made to reduce basic end streaking. The present study reports the application of a novel reduction and alkylation step prior to 2-DE analysis using tris(2-carboxyethyl)-phosphine hydrochloride as a reducing agent and vinylpyridine as an alkylating agent. This simple sample preparation approach effectively eliminates basic end streaks, thereby enabling the analysis and identification of more protein spots resolved by 2-DE.
Related Concept Videos
Two-dimensional Gel Electrophoresis
The first dimension separation uses the isoelectric focusing or IEF technique performed on immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips that separate proteins according to their isoelectric points.
Biological samples, such as cells...
SDS-PAGE
A variation of gel electrophoresis, termed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), is commonly used for separating proteins according to their molecular size by passing them through a polyacrylamide gel. Because of the varying charges associated with amino acid side chains, PAGE can be used to separate intact proteins...
Electrophoresis: Overview
There...
DNA Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
Gel extraction follows five major steps: running gel electrophoresis to separate fragments, isolating the individual bands, extracting DNA from those bands, and removing the dye and salts from the extracted mixture to obtain pure DNA.
In cloning experiments, both the insert and vector DNA...
Capillary Electrophoresis: Instrumentation

