Help gels cracking

[Ron Tate]

Mr. G. Morley wrote:
> 
> A colleague of mine is having problems running her
> 
> protein gels.
> 
> Although her 8% acrylamide sds gels dry down fine (normaly
> 
> within 2-3hrs) her 10% gels are cracking on the gel dryer.
> 
> She is pre-wetting her whatman and drying down at 80 degrees
> 
> centigrade...
> 
> I seem to remember something about higher percentage gels
> 
> requiring either soaking, or the addition, of gelatin but
> 
> I am not sure...also I seem to recall the drying temperature
> 
> may be important - I used to dry down at 65 degrees c.
> 
> If anyone has any ideas we would be much obligued to hear
> 
> from you!
> 
> Thanks in advance...
> 
> Gary Morley
> 
> gmorley at rpms.ac.uk


Two things that may help here, one is check the vacuum source, BioRad
says a water aspirator is insufficient and call for a vacuum of 29 torr
(~28" Hg) or better.  The other thing to do is to try soaking the gels
in a 3% glycerol solution before drying.  

Hope it helps and happy hunting.
>>>>>>--------------------------->
Ron
Tate                                                                   
Lab of Franklin Leach
Dept. of Biochem. & Molecular Biology
Oklahoma State University 
rtate at bmb-fs1.biochem.okstate.edu
(405) 744-9326
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