SDS-PAGE for S Immunoprecipitation and Immunoprecipitation Western Blotting.

This report discusses recent methods of sample preparation and gel electrophoresis for S immunoprecipitation (IP) and IP western blotting. In both methods, IP is used to obtain purified proteins, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to separate the proteins on a gel. In S IP, the proteins are radiolabeled and visualized on film by fluorography; in IP blotting, proteins are transferred onto nitrocellulose paper, and antibodies are used to detect specific proteins. A similar IP and SDS-PAGE method can be used for both procedures, but IP blotting has the potential advantages of improvement in sensitivity for low-abundance proteins and enhanced specificity for identification of proteins from a mixture. Some of the technical adaptations discussed here to facilitate IP blotting and avoid loss of beads or purified proteins may also be useful for S IP.