A convenient procedure for transfer blotting of coomassie blue stained proteins from PAGE gels to transparencies.

Proteins stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue I were transferred effectively by blotting from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) gels to transparencies of the type used in plain-paper copiers. The details of the original electropherogram were retained on transfer and did not fade over a period of three years. Both the protein and the associated dye transfer; however, protein does not transfer in the absence of dye. Protein patterns present in several types of gels--sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE, non-denaturing PAGE, isoelectric focusing PAGE and SDS-agarose--all transferred successfully after staining with dye 1. Proteins visualized with other organic dyes such as Fast Green FCF 2, Uniblue A 3 and Procion Blue MX-R 4 also transferred, but proteins stained with Stains-all 5 or silver did not. This transfer provides a simple, economical way to preserve data from slab gel electrophoresis and a convenient method to display data using an overhead projector. The blotted transparencies are also excellent substrates for use with gel scanning densitometers.