Bleach gel: A simple agarose gel for analyzing RNA quality

RNA-based applications requiring high-quality, non-degraded RNA are a foundational element of many research studies. As such, it is paramount that the integrity of experimental RNA is validated prior to cDNA synthesis or other downstream applications. In the absence of expensive equipment such as microfluidic electrophoretic devices, and as an alternative to the costly and time-consuming standard formaldehyde gel, RNA quality can be quickly analyzed by adding small amounts of commercial bleach to TAE buffer-based agarose gels prior to electrophoresis. In the presence of low concentrations of bleach, the secondary structure of RNA is denatured and potential contaminating RNases are destroyed. Because of this,…

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  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Award: NNX10AN29A
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R15 CA106274, P20 RR016454