Silver stained SDS-PAGE gel with Invitrogen SilverXpress Kit

Silver protein stains is an ultra-sensitive method for monochromatic detection of proteins in 1D or 2D polyacrylamide gels with metallic silver ions (Ag). We offer several optimized silver staining kits depending on your research needs. If mass spectrometry is the intended downstream application, choose one of our two silver stain kits optimized for peptide recovery after in-gel trypsin digestion for mass spectrometry.

Compare different protein staining methods

Highlights of silver stains:

  • Most sensitive colorimetric method for detecting total protein, nanogram-level sensitivity can be achieved.
  • Gel compatible—staining performance is very good with a variety of commercial precast gels, handcast gels and SDS-PAGE buffer-systems.

Select the silver protein gel stain for your research needs

 Pierce Silver Stain KitSilverXpress Silver Staining KitSilverQuest Silver Staining KitPierce Silver Stain for Mass Spec
Detection limit0.25 ng0.86 ng0.3 ng0.25 ng
Components4576
# of staining steps79117
Approx. staining time (for gels)1 hr 30 min2 hrStd: 1 hr 30 min
Microwave: 30 min
1 hr 13 min
Staining AgentMetallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
HighlightsQuick staining protocolQuick staining protocol
  • Sensitizing solution does not contain glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde
  • Includes destaining reagents that facilitate complete removal of silver from stained proteins for MS analysis
Includes destaining reagents that facilitate complete removal of silver from stained proteins for MS analysis
ApplicationsGel stainingGel staining
  • Gel staining
  • MS and sequencing compatible
  • Gel staining
  • MS and sequencing compatible
Catalog number24612LC6100LC607024600
Pierce Silver Stain Kit

The Pierce Silver Stain Kit is a rapid, ultra-sensitive and versatile silver stain system for protein detection in polyacrylamide gels, enabling consistent and reliable results with many 1D and 2D gel types. The Pierce Silver Stain Kit is a metallic silver (Ag) protein stain that yields a remarkably clear and uniform gel background while enabling consistent, high-sensitivity staining results.

Protocol

The protocol has been optimized for flexibility by allowing short or overnight gel fixation and staining steps without affecting staining performance (sensitivity or clarity). A short (one-minute) sensitization step, performed after gel fixation, enables results that are free of the characteristically dark or blotchy backgrounds often seen with homemade or other commercially available silver stains. This feature is beneficial when performing densitometric analysis of silver stained gels.


Invitrogen SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit

The SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit is a highly sensitive silver staining kit providing nanogram-level sensitivity with minimal background. The SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit uses ammoniacal silver chemistry and glutaraldehyde sensitization to produce a highly sensitive silver stain, capable of detecting much lower levels of protein than standard Coomassie or Colloidal Blue techniques. Clear background makes sample identification unambiguous and helps provide publication-quality gels.

Invitrogen SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit

The SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit provides a rapid and easy method to silver stain proteins and DNA in polyacrylamide gels. Silver staining allows detection of most proteins since it is 30-fold more sensitive than staining with colloidal Coomassie G-250. The SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit is specifically designed to provide sensitive silver staining compatible with mass spectrometry analysis.


Pierce Silver Stain kit for Mass spectrometry

Pierce Silver Stain for Mass Spectrometry is a complete kit for the rapid and sensitive silver staining of proteins in polyacrylamide gels and the efficient destaining of excised gel pieces for mass spectrometry analysis.

This silver staining kit for mass spectrometry (MS) bundles components of the high-performance Pierce Silver Stain Kit with reagents optimized to destain spots for subsequent in-gel tryptic digestion to recover peptide fragments for proteomics analysis. The resulting MS-compatible product and protocol deliver outstanding sensitivity and help maintain favorable conditions for high-yield recovery and identification (sequence coverage) of proteins by mass spectrometry.

Select the silver protein gel stain for your research needs

 Pierce Silver Stain KitSilverXpress Silver Staining KitSilverQuest Silver Staining KitPierce Silver Stain for Mass Spec
Detection limit0.25 ng0.86 ng0.3 ng0.25 ng
Components4576
# of staining steps79117
Approx. staining time (for gels)1 hr 30 min2 hrStd: 1 hr 30 min
Microwave: 30 min
1 hr 13 min
Staining AgentMetallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
Metallic silver ions
(Ag)
HighlightsQuick staining protocolQuick staining protocol
  • Sensitizing solution does not contain glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde
  • Includes destaining reagents that facilitate complete removal of silver from stained proteins for MS analysis
Includes destaining reagents that facilitate complete removal of silver from stained proteins for MS analysis
ApplicationsGel stainingGel staining
  • Gel staining
  • MS and sequencing compatible
  • Gel staining
  • MS and sequencing compatible
Catalog number24612LC6100LC607024600
Pierce Silver Stain Kit

The Pierce Silver Stain Kit is a rapid, ultra-sensitive and versatile silver stain system for protein detection in polyacrylamide gels, enabling consistent and reliable results with many 1D and 2D gel types. The Pierce Silver Stain Kit is a metallic silver (Ag) protein stain that yields a remarkably clear and uniform gel background while enabling consistent, high-sensitivity staining results.

Protocol

The protocol has been optimized for flexibility by allowing short or overnight gel fixation and staining steps without affecting staining performance (sensitivity or clarity). A short (one-minute) sensitization step, performed after gel fixation, enables results that are free of the characteristically dark or blotchy backgrounds often seen with homemade or other commercially available silver stains. This feature is beneficial when performing densitometric analysis of silver stained gels.


Invitrogen SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit

The SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit is a highly sensitive silver staining kit providing nanogram-level sensitivity with minimal background. The SilverXpress Silver Staining Kit uses ammoniacal silver chemistry and glutaraldehyde sensitization to produce a highly sensitive silver stain, capable of detecting much lower levels of protein than standard Coomassie or Colloidal Blue techniques. Clear background makes sample identification unambiguous and helps provide publication-quality gels.

Invitrogen SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit

The SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit provides a rapid and easy method to silver stain proteins and DNA in polyacrylamide gels. Silver staining allows detection of most proteins since it is 30-fold more sensitive than staining with colloidal Coomassie G-250. The SilverQuest Silver Staining Kit is specifically designed to provide sensitive silver staining compatible with mass spectrometry analysis.


Pierce Silver Stain kit for Mass spectrometry

Pierce Silver Stain for Mass Spectrometry is a complete kit for the rapid and sensitive silver staining of proteins in polyacrylamide gels and the efficient destaining of excised gel pieces for mass spectrometry analysis.

This silver staining kit for mass spectrometry (MS) bundles components of the high-performance Pierce Silver Stain Kit with reagents optimized to destain spots for subsequent in-gel tryptic digestion to recover peptide fragments for proteomics analysis. The resulting MS-compatible product and protocol deliver outstanding sensitivity and help maintain favorable conditions for high-yield recovery and identification (sequence coverage) of proteins by mass spectrometry.

Resources

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