OLIGONUCLEOTIDE ANALYSIS BY CAPILLARY POLYMER SIEVING ELECTROPHORESISUSING ACRYLOYLAMINOETHOXYETHANOL-COATED CAPILLARIES

Capillary polymer sieving electrophoresis using dynamic sieving polyme r solutions provides size-based separations of oligonucleotides. The p olymer sieving system described here resolves single-stranded oligonuc leotides with single-base resolution up to lengths of 30 bases within 10 min. The effect of temperature on the separation of synthetic oligo nucleotide standards was examined between 20 degrees C and 40 degrees C, with optimal performance at 35-40 degrees C. By adding urea to the sieving buffer single-base resolution could be extended to 60 bases in about 40 min. Best performance was achieved with capillaries coated w ith a new monomer, acryloylaminoethoxyethanol. This coating provides t he necessary stability to ensure long lifetimes.