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Gel Shift Assay

A Gel shift assay is a technique used to study protein-DNA interactions in the cell or Petri dish. This test is used in basic genetic engineering research to discover new proteins or protein mixtures that are capable of binding to a DNA sequence, and the Gel shift can often determine not only which protein binds, but also whether more than one protein molecule is involved in the complex.

Other tests often performed concurrently with the Gel shift assay include:

- DNase footprinting
- Primer extension
- Promoter-probe experiments

The Gel shift assay works by measuring the speed at which a short fragment of DNA moves through a non-denaturing SDS-PAGE gel that may be impregnated with a specific protein or protein combination. If the proteins bind with the DNA, the gel impregnated with proteins will cause the DNA's passage to slow as it is weighted down by the proteins. The DNA fragment is generally marked with either a radioactive or fluorescent marker.

Web Resources On Gel Shift Assay

Band Shift Assay
Molecular Biology Glossary

Book Resources On Gel Shift Assay

Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life by Gerald H. Pollack
The Way of the Cell: Molecules, Organisms and the Order of Life by Franklin M. Harold

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