Publication no. C-2003-0723-02R |  VIEW ARTICLE

Evaluation of Novel Precast SDS-PAGE Gels for Separation of Sorghum Proteins.

S. R. Bean (1). (1) USDA-ARS, Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Manhattan, KS 66502. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by the USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. Phone: (785) 776-9441. E-mail: <scott@gmprc.ksu.edu> Cereal Chem. 80(5):500-504. Accepted March 4, 2003. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely re­printed with customary crediting of the source. American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., 2003.

Precast polyacrylamide gels using novel buffer chemistry for enhanced resolution and shelf life stability of the gels were evaluated for sepa­rating sorghum proteins. Two gels with different acrylamide con­centrations, 12 and 4-12%, were tested with two different buffer systems. Gels were evaluated for separation resolution, as well as protein solu­bility problems such as streaking. High-resolution separations were obtained for all the major classes of kernel proteins using these gels. Run times were typically 45-60 min, producing relatively rapid separations. Resolution was significantly affected by the buffer system used. The use of precast gradient gels eliminates the need for casting gradient gels for routine analysis of sorghum proteins and avoids handling the toxic acrylamide monomer. This system will be useful for routine separations of sorghum proteins as well as for research programs using SDS-PAGE to screen sorghum lines for digestibility or for other protein-related quality factors.