Pore gradient gel electrophoresis: theory, practice, and applications Review Article

Pore gradient gel electrophoresis (PGGE) can separate both native and denatured proteins with high resolution on the basis of differences in molecular size. In the first and second section of this paper the theory of PGGE, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as circumvention of its drawbacks are reviewed. In the third section, it is described how gradient gels with a fine linearity can be reproducibly generated and how the relative molecular weight (Mr) of proteins can be determined after electrophoresis. In the fourth section, applications of PGGE (two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis, inverse PGGE, transverse PGGE, and PGGE of complex materials) are reviewed.