Clean bands. Clear results.
Thermo Scientific GeneRuler DNA Ladders and O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders are mixtures of individual chromatography-purified DNA fragments, designed to deliver precision and ease of use for everyday electrophoresis.
GeneRuler and O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders resolve as sharp fragments with bright reference bands, providing the clear results you are looking for (Figure 1). All ladders are supplied with loading dye for your sample DNA and are shipped under ambient conditions.* The ready-to-use DNA ladders are premixed with loading dyes and, like the ladders without dyes, are also stable at room temperature for up to 6 months.
Figure 1. GeneRuler ultra low range, low range, and high range ladders run on agarose and polyacrylamide gels of different concentrations.
GeneRuler DNA Ladders are ideal for sizing and approximate quantification of a wide range of double-stranded DNA and are available in fragment sizes from 10 bp to 48.5 kb. GeneRuler DNA Ladders are available in conventional (in TE buffer) and ready-to-use formats (premixed with 6X DNA Loading Dye).
O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders are a ready-to-use version of GeneRuler DNA Ladders that are premixed with 6X Orange DNA loading dye containing xylene cyanol FF and orange G. In a 1% agarose gel, orange G dye migrates at 50 bp, making these ladders ideal when visualization of small DNA fragments is important. These ladders are available in many different formats and sizes, including 100 bp and 1 kb DNA ladders.
Table 1. Types and ranges of GeneRuler and O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders.
| Ladder type | GeneRuler DNA Ladders | O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders | Range (bp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Ready-to-use | Ready-to-use | ||
| 50 bp | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50–1,000 |
| 100 bp | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 100–1,000 |
| 100 bp Plus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 100–3,000 |
| 1 kb | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 250–10,000 |
| 1 kb Plus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 75–20,000 |
| Ultra low range | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 100–300 |
| Low range | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 25–700 |
| High range | ✓ | ✓ | 10,171–48,502 | |
| Express | ✓ | ✓ | 100–5,000 | |
| Mix | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 100–10,000 |
Why choose ready-to-use ladders?
Ready-to-use ladders offer the convenience of being premixed with 6X DNA loading dyes, eliminating a step at the bench.
| Ready-to-use ladders | Loading dyes |
|---|---|
| GeneRuler DNA Ladders | Bromophenol blue and xylene cyanol FF |
| O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders | Xylene cyanol FF and orange G |
| Product option | Applications |
|---|---|
| Ready-to-use (RTU) | You need convenience. These are premixed with 6X DNA loading dye containing bromophenol blue and xylene cyanol FF. |
| Plus | You need to visualize a wider range of DNA fragments. This mix covers a broader range of fragment lengths (see Table 1). |
| O’GeneRuler ladders | You need to visualize small DNA fragments. These are RTU ladders premixed with 6X DNA loading dye containing xylene cyanol FF and orange G. |
| Ultra low and low range | You need approximate quantification and sizing of small molecular weight DNA fragments; when analyzing siRNA, use ultra low range ladders. |
| High range | You need to rapidly size high molecular weight DNA fragments (1.5 hr in 0.4% agarose gel). |
| Express | You need fast separation (5–15 min at 23 V/cm) under a wide range of electrophoresis conditions, in different buffers, voltages, or gel percentages. |
| Mix | You need aDNA ladder with high DNA band density for precise sizing of target DNA. |
What is the importance of chromatographic purification of DNA fragments?
Chromatographic purification of DNA ladders allows for “greener,” more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, because no organic solvents are used in preparation of the ladders.
The purification method enables:
- Exceptional purity and quality of DNA bands—no double peaks or broad peaks occur during capillary electrophoresis; additionally, no double bands are observed on the gel
- Accurate in-gel quantification—the concentration of each band is determined spectrophotometrically, and the exact amount of DNA in each band can be calculated precisely
Figure 2. The GeneRuler DNA ladders can offer sharp peaks during capillary electrophoresis, for exceptional purity of DNA fragments without additional DNA fragments or dNTPs. (A) Thermo Scientific GeneRuler 100 bp DNA Ladder (red) and Promega 100 bp DNA Ladder (blue). (B) GeneRuler 100 bp DNA Ladder (red) and DirectLoad PCR 100 bp Low Ladder (blue).
Usage and applications
Choose GeneRuler and O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders for sizing and approximate quantification in traditional molecular biology techniques, including:
- DNA cloning
- PCR
- Reverse transcription
GeneRuler and O’GeneRuler DNA Ladders
GeneRuler 1 kb, 100 bp, 50 bp, Mix and Express DNA Ladders
These universal ladders are for DNA sizing and approximate quantification. The ladders cover a broad range of DNA lengths and can be used to assess the DNA amount per band. These ladders are also available in a ready-to-use format with loading dye premixed with the DNA solution.
GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder is specifically designed for fast separation in standard agarose gels. The band pattern of the Express DNA ladder is not affected by the composition of the electrophoresis buffer, voltage, or gel percentage.
Features:
- Sharp bands, bright reference bands
- Supplied with loading dye for sample DNA
- Ready-to-use ladders are stable for 6 months at room temperature
Figure 3. Images of the most commonly used GeneRuler ladders run on agarose gels.
GeneRuler 1 kb, 100 bp, and 50 bp DNA ladders: selection guide
| Range (bp) | Ladder | Quantity | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50–1,000 | GeneRuler 50 bp DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM0371 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0372 | ||
| GeneRuler 50 bp DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM0373 | |
| 100–1,000 | GeneRuler 100 bp DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM0241 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0242 | ||
| GeneRuler 100 bp DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM0243 | |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0244 | ||
| 100–3,000 | GeneRuler 100 bp Plus DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM0321 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0322 | ||
| GeneRuler 100 bp Plus DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM0323 | |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0324 | ||
| 250–10,000 | GeneRuler 1 kb DNA Ladder | 5 x 50 µg | SM0311 |
| 25 x 50 µg | SM0312 | ||
| GeneRuler 1 kb DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM0314 | |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0313 | ||
| 75–20,000 | GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder | 5 x 50 µg | SM1331 |
| 25 x 50 µg | SM1332 | ||
| GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 5 x 50 µg | SM1333 | |
| 50 µg | SM1334 | ||
| 100–10,000 | GeneRuler DNA Ladder Mix | 5 x 50 µg | SM0331 |
| 25 x 50 µg | SM0332 | ||
| GeneRuler DNA Ladder Mix, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM0334 | |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM0333 | ||
| 100–5,000 | GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM1553 |
GeneRuler ultra low range, low range, and high range ladders
Features:
- Sharp bands, bright reference bands
- Supplied with loading dye for sample DNA
- Ready-to-use ladders are stable for 6 months at room temperature
Figure 4. GeneRuler ultra low range, low range, and high range ladders run on agarose and polyacrylamide gels of different concentrations.
GeneRuler low and high range DNA ladders: selection guide
| Range (bp) | Ladder | Quantity | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–300 | GeneRuler Ultra Low Range DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM1211 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM1212 | ||
| GeneRuler Ultra Low Range DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM1213 | |
| 25–700 | GeneRuler Low Range DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM1191 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM1192 | ||
| GeneRuler Low Range DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM1193 | |
| 10,171–48,502 | GeneRuler High Range DNA Ladder | 50 µg | SM1351 |
| 5 x 50 µg | SM1352 | ||
| GeneRuler High Range DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 µg | SM1353 |
DNA Ladders premixed with 6X Orange DNA loading dye
These ready-to-use DNA ladders are ideal for use when visualization of small DNA fragments is important.
Features:
- Sharp bands, bright reference bands
- Supplied with loading dye for sample DNA
- Ladders are stable for 6 months at room temperature
O'GeneRuler DNA ladder selection guide
| Range (bp) | Ladder | Quantity | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–300 | O'GeneRuler Ultra Low Range DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 μg | SM1223 |
| 25–700 | O'GeneRuler Low Range DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 μg | SM1203 |
| 50–1,000 | O'GeneRuler 50 bp DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 μg | SM1133 |
| 100–1,000 | O'GeneRuler 100 bp DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 μg | SM1143 |
| 100–3,000 | O'GeneRuler 100 bp Plus DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 50 μg | SM1153 |
| 250–10,000 | O'GeneRuler 1 kb DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 5 x 50 μg | SM1163 |
| 75–20,000 | O'GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder, ready-to-use | 5 x 50 μg | SM1343 |
| 100–10,000 | O'GeneRuler DNA Ladder Mix, ready-to-use | 5 x 50 μg | SM1173 |
* Ambient shipping in a noninsulated shipping box when ordered with other items that do not need freezer storage. They will be shipped in an insulated box with dry ice when orders include items that need freezer storage, in order to avoid shipment of multiple containers and the generation of additional waste. Learn more about ambient shipping for Thermo Scientific DNA Ladders. For long-term stability, store DNA ladders below –20°C after you receive them.
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.