Electrophoresis and electroblotting systems and methods
Integrated electrophoresis and electroblotting systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a cassette includes a separation gel and a sheet adjacent to a surface of the separation gel, wherein the sheet is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette. Systems and methods are also described and illustrated.
1. A cassette comprising:
a separation gel; and
a sheet adjacent to a surface of the separation gel, wherein the sheet is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette, wherein the sheet is folded along a folding line and wherein portions of the sheet on either side of the folding line are in contact with each other and between the gel and a cassette wall.
2. The cassette of claim 1 , wherein the sheet further comprises a section that is at least partially wrapped around an outer surface of a support.
3. The cassette of claim 2 , wherein the section is wing-shaped.
4. The cassette of claim 3 , wherein the section is adhered to an outer surface of the support.
5. The cassette of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises a pulling edge.
6. The cassette of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises a tab.
7. The cassette of claim 1 , wherein a gel-facing surface of the sheet is coated with a barrier coating.
8. The cassette of claim 7 , wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene chloride, low-density polyethylene, and an acrylonitrile methyl acetate copolymer.
9. The cassette of claim 1 , further comprising a membrane sandwiched between the sheet and a pad.
10. The cassette of claim 9 , wherein the membrane is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette.
11. The cassette of claim 10 , wherein the membrane comprises a pulling edge.
12. The cassette of claim 1 , further comprising a set of transfer electrodes.
13. The cassette of claim 1 , further comprising a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes.
14. The cassette of claim 13 , wherein the first set of electrodes are separation electrodes and the second set of electrodes are transfer electrodes.
15. A method comprising:
removing a sheet from a cassette having a separation gel with previously separated molecules, wherein the sheet is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette; and
responsive to applying an electric field normal to an electrophoretic plane of the separation gel, transferring the molecules to a membrane.
16. A system comprising:
a cassette comprising:
a separation gel;
a sheet adjacent to a surface of the separation gel, wherein the sheet is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette;
a membrane sandwiched between the sheet and a pad;
a first and second set of electrodes; and
circuitry operably connected to the first and second set of electrodes and configured to apply a first electric field within an electrophoretic plane of the separation gel and a second electric field normal to the electrophoretic plane of the separation gel.
17. A cassette comprising:
a separation gel;
a sheet adjacent to a surface of the separation gel, wherein the sheet is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette, and
a membrane sandwiched between the sheet and a pad.
18. The cassette of claim 17 , wherein the membrane is configured to be removed from the cassette without opening the cassette.
19. The cassette of claim 18 , wherein the membrane comprises a pulling edge.