I am currently working on a literature review on DNA Profiling, all the articles seem to agree on capillary electrophoresis as the preferred method for RFLP analysis but the difference between Capillary Electrophoresis and normal Electrophoresis was not mentioned.
It is basically the same thing. The difference is that the gel (polyacrylamide) is injected into narrow glass capillary, and electrophoresis runs through it. DNA samples must be labeled with fluorescent paints, and migrating fragments are being detected by their laser-induced light emissions. Capillary electrophoresis has high sensitivity and can distinguish single base length variations. And using labels with different light spectra allows to multiplex several samples in a single capillary.
There is not much to add to Alexandr Pozharskiy good answer but capillary electrophoresis gains its great separation to using linearly polymerised acrylamide and standard e/f uses cross linked PAG. 40cm PAG gels can distinguish at 1bp accuracy but it rewuires time and skill and long loading times for multiple samples while 96 samples on capillary e/f load in seconds and run quickly. The equipment and software for capillary e/f is very expensive
In general electrophoresis is the movement of charged particles in a solution due to the presence of an electric field. Many different type of electrophoresis exist, but they all have in common two electrode compartments (anode plus cathode) connected by a separation compartment. Choosing several kinds of electrolyte to fill these three compartments, different separation mechanism arise, most often all compartments are filles with the same buffered electrolyte: zone electrophoresis.
The achieved separation has to be stabilized and protected againts convection by using a gel slab, porous strip, capillary and so on for the separation compartment. Capillary zone electrophoresis is at present probably the best known form. Inside the capillary the stabilisation can be improved by polyacrylamind gel etc.
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_electrophoresis
Dear Emmanuel Owoeye
Great question. If you are currently working on a literature review, you must understand that:
1) Capillary Electrophoresis can also be named “High Performance Capillary Electrophoresis (HPCE)”
You can find more information in this book: High performance capillary electrophoresis: An introduction, by David N. HEIGER.
2) Some authors use the expression “Capillary Electrophoresis” as a synonym of “Free Solution Capillary Electrophoresis (FSCE)” or “Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE)”, the most used capillary technique.
You can find more about the categorization of Electrophoresis Techniques here: https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Analytical_Chemistry)/Instrumental_Analysis/Capillary_Electrophoresis
3) Normal Electrophoresis (slab gel) is not really “greener” than the HPCE.
4) HPCE is more efficient (high peak efficiency and resolution)
5) HPCE is simpler for the operator.
6) HPCE give us the opportunity to apply different modes of detection (UV-Vis, LIF, C4D).
7) Finally, HPCE is different.
Best regards,
Carlos Alberto da Silva Júnior
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