Staining Protocols
1. Staining DNA by Post Gel Staining
a. Run gels as usual according to your standard protocol.
b. Dilute the GelRed(TM) 10000X stock solution about 3,300 fold to prepare a 3X staining solution in water with 0.1M NaCl (e.g.
add 15μL of GelRed(TM) stock solution and 5mL NaCl to 45mL water).
While GelRed(TM) 1X staining solution can also be used for post gel staining, the sensitivity is generally less than with 3X staining
solution
(NOTE: inspect the 10000X vial carefully. If dye precipitation occurs, heat up or sonicate the vial).
Use of NaCl in the staining solution is optional. NaCl in the solution enhances the staining, but may promote dye precipitation if the
staining solution is to be used repeatedly. Any staining solution to be re-used is preferably stored at room temperature in a dark
place to reduce possible dye precipitation problems.
c. Carefully place the gel in a suitable container such as a polypropylene container. Gently add sufficient amount of the 3X staining
solution to submerge the gel.
d. Agitate gel gently at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Optimal staining time may vary somewhat depending on the
thickness of the gel and the percentage of agarose. For polyacrylamide gels containing 3.5 – 10% acrylamide, typical staining time
is 30 minutes up to 1 hour with gels of higher acrylamide content requiring longer staining time. The staining solution can be reused
at least 2-3 times. The unused staining solution can be stored at room temperature in a dark place.
e. View the stained gel with a standard transilluminator (302nm o 312nm) and photograph the gel using
an ethidium bromide filter. Similarly, a SYBR(R) or GelStar(R) filter may also be used for
photographing with equally good results.