DESTAINING OF COOMASSIE BRILLIANT BLUE R-250-STAINED POLYACRYLAMIDE GELS WITH SODIUM-CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS

A novel method for destaining of polyacrylamide gels, stained with Coo massie Brilliant Blue R-250, is described, based on the use of 0.5 M N aCl in water as the destainer, requiring only 2-3 h. Concentrated (> 2 M) or dilute (< 0.1 M) salt solutions were unsuitable. The method aff ords the advantage that expensive organic solvents, such as methanol, acetic acid or trichloroacetic acid, are not needed. Furthermore, salt destaining results in darker purple-blue protein bands as compared to the pale blue color with e.g. methanol/acetic acid destaining.