Colorless molecule that will bind and enhance the differential surface charge on protein complexes: The molecule has been demonstrated to work as well as Coomassie blue but will not interfere in gel assays critical for most investigations.

Protein staining dyes such as serva blue G or Coomassie blue are used to enhance the separation of protein complexes by binding to the proteins and differentially enhancing the net charge of the complexes improving the separation of the complexes using electrophoresis procedures. However, the intense blue color of Coomassie stains interferes with immunobloting and in gel colormetric or fluorescent studies. Available for licensing and commercial development is a colorless molecule that will bind and enhance the differential surface charge on protein complexes. The molecule has been demonstrated to work as well as Coomassie blue but will not interfere in gel assays critical for most investigations. This approach provides biochemists interested in protein complexes in biological tissues with the ability to separate protein complexes and perform in gel assays saving time and resources in this important emerging field. The compound and methods of its use is for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and related gel techniques for the analysis of protein complexes and defects in the same. Such analysis can be extended to the detection of various diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Applications: Alzheimer's disease diagnostics; Parkinson's disease diagnostics Market: protein-protein interaction biochemistry Publications: 1. MM Camacho-Carvajal, et al. Two-dimensional Blue native/SDS gel electrophoresis of multi-protein complexes from whole cellular lysates: a proteomics approach. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2004 Feb; 3(2):176-182. 2. R Van Coster, et al. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: a powerful tool in diagnosis of oxidative phosphorylation defects. Pediatr Res. 2001 Nov; 50(5):658-665. 3. I Whittig and H Schagger. Advantages and limitations of clear-native PAGE. Proteomics. 2005 Nov; 5(17):4338-4346.

Early Stage

U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/835,069 filed 03 Aug 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-218-2006/0-US-01) Inventors: Robert Balaban (NHLBI), Gary Griffiths (NHLBI), Ksenia Blinova (NHLBI), et al.

Licensees sought: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing.