A sensitive fluorescent method for the detection of glycoproteins in polyacrylamide gels.

A sensitive method is described for the detection of glycoproteins after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Dansyl hydrazine is condensed with aldehydic functions generated by periodate oxidation of protein bound carbohydrate. The resulting hydrazones are reduced to the stable hydrazine derivatives with sodium borohydride. After destaining, the fluorescent-labeled glycoproteins are visualized with a long-range uv light source. The dansyl hydrazine staining technique was shown to detect less than 40 ng of carbohydrate bound to Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin.