Product Overview

Biofargo precast agarose gels (2% agarose in TAE) come pre-stained with GelRed® Nucleic Acid Gel Stain (10,000X), enabling fast, safe, and highly convenient DNA electrophoresis. With dye premixed into the gel matrix and combs installed at the factory, there is no need to prepare, cast, stain, or handle concentrated dyes—simply unwrap → load → run.

Each gel is individually foil-sealed in a rigid plastic tray, minimizing contamination from equipment and handling. Electrophoresis can be performed directly in the tray, further simplifying workflow while maintaining sample integrity and clarity.

Designed for high-resolution nucleic acid separation, these gels deliver sharp, well-defined DNA/RNA bands with low background fluorescence, making them ideal for routine and high-precision molecular assays.

Specifications

Number of Wells	Well Width	Well Length	Volume / Well	Gel Size
6-Wells	1.5mm	7.0mm	52.5µL	56x60mm
8-Wells	1.0mm	4.4mm	22.0µL	56x60mm
11-Wells	1.0mm	2.8mm	14.0µL	56x60mm
13-Wells	2.0mm	7.0mm	70.0µL	116x60mm
18-Wells	1.0mm	4.4mm	22.0µL	116x60mm
25-Wells	1.0mm	2.8mm	14.0µL	116x60mm
50-Wells	1.0mm	2.8mm	16.8µL	116x60mm

Features & Benefits

High efficiency — Save time, load and run immediately
- No gel casting, no staining, no post-stain
- One-step workflow → unwrap, load, electrophorese
- Familiar electrophoresis protocol with rapid results
Safer DNA visualization
- Uses GelRed® — non-toxic, non-mutagenic, safer than EtBr
- No handling of concentrated dye → reduced exposure risk
- Environment-friendly and lowers disposal cost
High sensitivity & sharp band resolution
- Detect low-ng DNA with clear, bright signals
- Most accurate sizing and defined DNA bands
- Enhanced sensitivity achievable with NaCl supplementation
Convenient & flexible use
- Empty wells can be reused — re-run loading possible
- Staining matrix is stable and can be imaged multiple times
- Staining solution can be re-used when applicable
Complete electrophoresis bundle
- Includes buffer, ladder, and TAE powder — no extra purchase needed
- Available 0.8%–2.0% standard, custom 0.75%–2.5% on request
- Fits most mini gel electrophoresis chambers
Consistent & reliable performance
- Automated casting ensures lot-to-lot reproducibility
- High clarity, low background, uniform migration
- Suitable for PA gel staining penetration efficiency

Application

Precast agarose gels support a broad range of nucleic acid separation workflows, especially where clarity and sensitivity are essential:

High-resolution separation of DNA and RNA fragments
PCR product verification
Restriction digest confirmation
Plasmid prep and cloning workflow QC
DNA fragment sizing and band intensity comparison
Suitable for direct electrophoresis in-tray — no gel transfer required
Re-run or use empty lanes when sample capacity is needed

The low-background GelRed® formulation ensures bright, sharp bands, enabling accurate visualization even at low input concentration.

Kit Components

Components	Quantity
Precast agarose gels (2% Agarose, TAE, pre-stained with GelRed®; your selected well count—combs pre-installed)	10
DNA loading buffer	1
DNA marker (ladder) of your choice	1
TAE buffer powder sticks (makes 2 L total)	2

Pack size: 10 gels/box

Shipping and Storage

Precast Gel Kit: 2–8 °C · Shelf life: 6 months
6× DNA Loading Buffer: 2–8 °C (short term) / −20 °C (long term) · Shelf life: 12 months
TAE Instant Granules: RT (15–25 °C) or −20 °C · Shelf life: 24 months
DNA Marker (Ladder): −20 °C (long term; 2–8 °C short term OK) · Shelf life: 12 months

Avoid repeated freeze–thaw for the loading buffer and marker; aliquot after first use.

Usage Notes

Higher sensitivity: GelRed® (high-molecular-weight dye) delivers up to ~8× the sensitivity of EtBr (depends on gel/imaging setup), allowing lower sample loads and sharper bands.
Routine checks: For Biofargo pre-stained gels, load 50–100 ng DNA per lane or 1–2 µL PCR product.
Unknown concentration: Start with ~1/5 to 1/3 of the DNA you would load on an EtBr gel; adjust based on signal.
When loading more DNA (e.g., for gel extraction):
- Run at lower voltage to reduce band distortion/saturation.
- After excision, fully dissolve the gel (extend melting time as needed) to help ensure high recovery.
Avoid repeated freeze–thaw of samples; if bands saturate, reduce load or exposure time.

Documents

Prestained Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Kit.pdf

Customization

We can manufacture precast gels at 0.75–2.5% agarose and in non-standard sizes to your specifications. For details, email contact@biofargo.com or call (804) 529-2296.

Precast Agarose Gel, 2% Agarose, with GelRed® Nucleic Acid Gel Stain (10000X), with TAE