Agarose gel electrophoresis a standard laboratory technique for size-based separation of DNA and RNA fragments. The agarose gel matrix is porous and acts as a sieve through which the nucleic acid molecules migrate according to relative size. To maximize effectiveness of DNA separation, it is essential to choose high-quality agarose, chromatographically purified DNA ladders, and high-sensitivity DNA stains. We offer a wide range of reagents optimized for agarose gel electrophoresis.

Agarose is the basic ingredient for casting gels and is available in powder and tablet forms.


Agarose powder for gel electrophoresis

Stand up pouch with spout containing UltraPure agarose powder

Traditionally, agarose powder has been used for manually casting gels. UltraPure Agarose powder is available in three formulations to suit various agarose gel electrophoresis applications:

  • UltraPure Agarose is standard melting-point agarose designed for routine separation of DNA and RNA fragments ranging between 500 and 23,000 bp.
  • UltraPure Agarose 1000 is a specialized agarose that provides higher resolution of PCR products and other short DNA fragments.
  • UltraPure Low Melting Point Agarose is suitable for in-gel enzymatic reactions and rapid DNA gel extraction.
     

E-Gel Precast Agarose Gel Systems offer the convenience of buffer-less agarose gel electrophoresis with ready-to-use precast agarose gel cassettes containing in-gel stain. The E-Gel Precast Agarose Gel Systems are suitable for both standard and high throughput applications.


Reagents for agarose gel electrophoresis

Reagents for agarose gel electrophoresis, such as running buffers, loading buffers, DNA ladders, and DNA stains, are essential for the separation and visualization of DNA fragments. These components help ensure optimal migration of DNA through the gel matrix, provide reference markers for fragment size determination, and help enable the detection of DNA bands under UV light or other imaging systems.

Running buffers for electrophoresis

Product photo. Clear bottle with angled neck containing a clear solution

Buffers are ionic solutions with electrical conductivity that preserve the pH and facilitate nucleic acid mobility during electrophoresis.

  • UltraPure 10X TBE Bufferis excellent for resolving DNA fragments that are less than 1,000 bp. TBE buffers have a higher buffering capacity compared to TAE buffers, which allow TBE to be used for prolonged electrophoresis runs.
  • UltraPure 10X TAE Buffer is excellent for resolving DNA fragments longer than 1,000 bp and for downstream enzymatic applications such as cloning.
  • UltraPure DNase/RNase-Free Distilled Water is designed for molecular biology applications that are sensitive to DNase and RNase activity.

Loading buffers for agarose gel electrophoresis

Product photo. Three tubes of BlueJuiceGel Loading buffer placed adjacent to product package

Loading buffers are used to load sample DNA and ladders into the gel wells. The loading dyes contain chromogenic agents that aid visualization of DNA migration in a gel.

Explore Invitrogen DNA loading buffers

DNA ladders

Product photo with one tube of 1 kb ladder, one tube of BlueJuice buffer, and product package

Invitrogen DNA ladders are available in a wide assortment of sizes ranging between 10 bp and 15 kb. The proprietary manufacturing processes produce high purity ladder fragments. These ladders are suitable for use in agarose gels and can be stored at room temperature.

Explore Invitrogen DNA ladders

DNA stains

One tube of SYBR safe stain and product package

DNA staining dyes are used for visualizing and imaging the nucleic acid fragments under blue or UV light. The staining dyes bind to the DNA molecule and fluoresce under UV light.

Explore Invitrogen DNA stains

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SYBR Safe DNA Gel Stain is nontoxic, noncarcinogenic, and classified as nonhazardous waste. This means that using SYBR Safe DNA Gel Stain not only helps to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals in the lab but also avoids the generation of hazardous waste and the associated management and disposal costs.
 


Devices for agarose gel electrophoresis

In addition to high-quality biochemicals, dependable devices are essential for performing agarose gel electrophoresis. The devices required for agarose gel electrophoresis include gel casting and gel running systems, power supply devices, and transilluminators.

Owl electrophoresis systems

Product photo. Green electrophoresis tank and two green combs

Owl Horizontal Electrophoresis Systems are agarose gel casting and running systems for high-, low-, and standard-throughput electrophoresis. The horizontal systems are recommended for agarose gel electrophoresis and are available in multiple formats including, large, micro, wide, and mini gels. Accessories such as tanks, chambers, casters, plates, spacers, and combs are also available.

Owl electrophoresis systems can be tailored to fit your needs. Learn more about custom Owl systems

Transilluminators

Product photo. Transilluminator, amber filter, amber safety glasses, and power cord placed on product package

Use the Safe Imager 2.0 Blue Light Transilluminator to safely view stained gels on the laboratory benchtop or within a gel documentation system.

Power supply

Product photo. Power Supply with backlit LCD touchscreen

PowerEase Touch Power Supplies bring a new level of convenience to your electrophoresis experiments. With a bright LCD touchscreen interface, you can enter in custom programs or use the pre-programmed gel electrophoresis protocols.

Resources

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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Resources

Nucleic acid electrophoresis products
Explore Thermo Fisher Scientific’s suite of products for all your electrophoresis needs.

Nucleic acid electrophoresis education
Learn about gel electrophoresis basics, workflow, considerations, applications, and troubleshooting for separation and analysis of nucleic acids.

DNA and RNA protocols
Find easy-to-follow protocols for everyday experiments, including agarose protocols and mRNA protocols.

Support

Nucleic acid purification and analysis support center
Find tips, troubleshooting help, and resources for your nucleic acid purification and analysis applications.

Contact us
For additional questions, reach out to our Technical Application Scientists.