Increase in Local Protein Concentration by Field-Inversion Gel Electrophoresis

A new type of gel electrophoresis separates DNA molecules up to 2000 kb with resolutions exceeding the logarithmic molecular weight dependence of conventional electrophoresis. The technique uses 1.5% agarose, 10 to 20 micrograms of DNA per well, and low ionic strength buffers. It employs alternately pulsed, perpendicularly oriented electrical fields, at least one of which is inhomogeneous. The duration of the applied electrical pulses is varied from 1 sec to 90 sec to achieve optimal separations for DNAs with sizes from 30 to 2000 kb. This pulsed field gradient gel electrophoresis fractionates intact S. cerevisiae chromosomal DNA, producing a molecular karyotype that greatly facilitates the assignment of genes to yeast chromosomes. Each yeast chromosome consists of a single piece of DNA; the chromosome sizes are consistent with the genetic linkage map. We also describe a general method for preparing spheroplasts, and cell lysates, without significant chromosomal DNA breakage.

Electric fields can be manipulated by a method in which multiple electrodes are arranged along a closed contour and clamped to predetermined electric potentials. This method may be applied to a broad range of problems in the separation of macromolecules by gel electrophoresis. DNA molecules as large as 2 megabases can be well separated with a contour-clamped homogeneous electric field alternating between two orientations 120 degrees apart. The pattern of separation is independent of position in the gel, which is an advantage over previous methods. DNA less than 50 kilobases can be separated without distortion even at high voltage with a nonalternating contour-clamped homogeneous field. Decreased band broadening in DNA less than 200 bases can be achieved with a contour-clamped inhomogeneous field.

In gel electrophoresis, nucleic acids and protein-detergent complexes larger than a threshold size all migrate at the same rate. For DNA molecules, this effect can be overcome by the simple procedure of periodically inverting the electric field. Tuning the frequency of the field inversions from 10 to 0.01 hertz, makes it possible to resolve selectively DNA's in the size range 15 to greater than 700 kilobase pairs.