Binding of lithium dodecyl sulfate to polyacrylamide gel at 4 degrees C perturbs electrophoresis of proteins.

Although polyacrylamide gel has no affinity to lithium dodecyl sulfate (LDS) at 25 degrees C, the gel maximally binds 17 mg of LDS per gram dry weight at 4 degrees C. When polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is carried out at 4 degrees C in the presence of LDS instead of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) using a continuous buffer system, migration of proteins with lower molecular weight is accelerated as a result of the deficiency of LDS in the frontal region of the gel. When the gel is saturated with LDS, electrophoresis in the presence of LDS at 4 degrees C shows a resolution higher than that of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at 25 degrees C.