Agarose gels and SB Buffer - (Apr/03/2006 )

Hey first post
and already a rather stupid question

I'm about to try SB Buffer (Sodium Boric Acid) NCBI
but i'm wondering: should i disolve the agarose also in SB ? i'm tending to but i'm not sure...

Has anyone of you any experience with SB at all? good/bad ? how's the resolution ?

---

I have not yet used that buffering system, but here is something to think about: the reason agarose electrophoresis works, is that the same buffer is used in the gel as in the tank....just try to make your agarose with water and you'll see what I mean

So, I would guess that SB works like TAE and TBE in respect to how you make up your agarose...

---

ha! now that you mention it i already...aehmm..."tried" the water thing
so it's 1% agarose in SB...

wow i'm actually excited about triying a new buffer ... is that good or bad ?

---

trying alternatives is not bad i think. It can improve your exp. If not or not functionning, at least you know you can't use it...

---

I use SB buffer almost religiously now in conjunction with direct loaded sybr rather than staining the whole gel. The gels run faster and the bands are more visible even with lower grade agarose. These gels typically run faster in that they can be run at higher voltage with less distortion from uneven heating of the gel (ie. they run cooler).

Yes, your running buffer and gel matrix buffer should be the same for optimal results.

hope this helps

---

Hey parp man,
Thanks for the NCBI reference - it looks interesting.
Also, just remember, there are no stupid questions, only stupid ligations that refuse to work (guess what I am doing )
mito 1

---

Chairkicker: what do you mean by "direct loaded sybr."

---

I used SB Buffer by routine before, it’s great!! You can re-used it many time, band resolution is very very good!!!! you can run at a higher voltage (spend less time), it’s cheaper that TAE o TBE.
I just don’t understand why just a few people use it!!!!!!

---