Staining of two-dimensional gels is a primary concern in proteomic studies using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with respect to the number of proteins analyzed, the accuracy of spot quantification and reproducibility. In this review article, the efficiency of the most widely used dyes was investigated. Visible dyes (Coomassie blue and silver nitrate), fluorescent dyes (Sypro Ruby, Deep Purple) and cyanine labeled methods were compared.
Keywords: fluorescent dyes; protein staining; proteomics; two-dimensional electrophoresis.