Since, the trypsin digested peptides are very small in size, Is it possible to run them in SDS-PAGE and stain them (Silver stain).?Have anyone ever tried this method?
I have managed to visualize peptides as small as 2kda and maybe slightly smaller but less than 1 kDa is extremely difficult. Also be careful about your choice of staining method as some colloidal coomaissie stains are not mass spec compatible. Why do you want to run the peptides on a gel ? is it for purification or separation purposes ?
I'm trying to visualize the trypsin digested proteins in SDS-PAGE during control and treated conditions. In order to see the changes in banding patterns and also to purify the peptides.
For such small peptides, you should not use SDS-PAGE. You should use reverse-phase HPLC (C18 column, water-acetonitrile gradient with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid, 214 nm UV absorbance detection).