Skip to main content

Detection of Blotted Proteins on Nitrocellulose/PVDF Membranes by Alta

  • Protocol
Detection of Blotted Proteins

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1314))

Abstract

We describe here a simple method of staining nitrocellulose/PVDF blots by Alta. This red-colored stain which is used as a cosmetic contains Crocein scarlet and Rhodamine B as the principal components. It is very cheap, is available as a ready-to-use liquid, and is as sensitive as the most commonly used stain Ponceau Red S. We further demonstrate that Crocein scarlet (one of the principal components) alone can be used for staining the blots with equal efficiency as well. The stained protein profile can be detected on a white light plate and documented in the usual manner. Detailed analysis indicates that this stain does not interfere with subsequent immunoreactions. Moreover, Alta is almost 100 times cheaper to the routinely used stain Ponceau Red S, and thus is an ideal alternative to the Ponceau Red S for staining blots during western blot analysis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Pal JK, Sarkar A, Katoch B (2001) Detergent-mediated destaining of Coomassie brilliant blue-stained SDS polyacrylamide gels. Indian J Exp Biol 39:95–97

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Kurien BT, Scofield RH (1998) Heat mediated quick Coomassie blue protein staining and destaining of SDS PAGE gels. Indian J Biochem Biophys 35:385–389

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Merril CR, Goldman D, Sedman SA et al (1981) Ultrasensitive stain for proteins in polyacrylamide gels shows regional variation in cerebrospinal fluid proteins. Science 211:1437–1438

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Wu W, Welsh MJ (1996) Rapid Coomassie blue staining and destaining of polyacrylamide gels. Biotechniques 20:386–388

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu M, Stockley PG, Martin WJ II (2002) An improved Western blotting technique effectively reduces background. Electrophoresis 23:2373–2376

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Antharavally BS, Carter B, Bell PA et al (2004) A high-affinity reversible protein stain for Western blots. Anal Biochem 329:276–280

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Steinberg TH (2009) Protein gel staining methods: an introduction and overview. Methods Enzymol 463:541–563

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Pal JK, Godbole D, Sharma K (2004) Staining of proteins on SDS polyacrylamide gels and on nitrocellulose membranes by Alta, a colour used as a cosmetic. J Biochem Biophys Methods 61:339–347

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pal JK, Godbole D, Sharma K (2010) Method of staining of proteins using Alta. United States Patent US 7,833,797 B2 (Nov. 16, 2010)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Pal JK, Berwal SK, Soni RN (2012) A single step simultaneous protein staining procedure for polyacrylamide gels and nitrocellulose membranes by Alta during western blot analysis. In: Kurien BT, Scofield RH (eds) Protein electrophoresis: methods and protocols, vol 869, Methods in molecular biology. Springer, New York, pp 551–559

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227:680–685

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J (1979) Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 76:4350–4354

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by a research grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, under the DST PURSE Program, and the Department Research and Development grant of the Savitribai Phule Pune University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jayanta K. Pal .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Pal, J.K., Rao, S.J., Godbole, D.J. (2015). Detection of Blotted Proteins on Nitrocellulose/PVDF Membranes by Alta. In: Kurien, B., Scofield, R. (eds) Detection of Blotted Proteins. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1314. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2718-0_29

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2718-0_29

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2717-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2718-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics