FBM's Lithia Products, LB® and LA®, are without a doubt the highest-performance separative media for DNA and RNA electrophoresis. LB is the most popular product among our customers. FBM SB™ was the original tris-free DNA conductive medium and remains available for older protocols using SB. Tap-Out™ is a low-EEO, evenly-dissolving agarose in a less-mess narrow-mouth dispensing bottle.
LB®
LB® is the preferred buffer for analyzing PCR products and most laboratory needs. LB is a boric acid-based conductive medium that takes advantage of the larger shell of hydration of lithium ion to achieve lower conductance than SB™. Low conductance permits LB to be used with the highest voltage and permits the highest speeds of DNA separation. LB is similar to SB in chemical properties and is appropriate for separations of DNA from 20 to 3000 basepairs in standard agarose. Excellent resolution above 2000 bp is provided by use of LB with gels consisting of 0.3-0.5% of a high-strength agarose. A solution of 1X LB runs agarose and polyacrylamide gels 4 to 6 times as fast as TAE or TBE.
LA®
LA® is the preferred buffer for standard plasmid restriction digests and for analyzing fragments larger than 2000-3000 bp. LA an ultra-low conductive medium that takes advantage of lithium ion. LA contains no boric acid to complex with the DNA and is suggested as an alternative for resolution of larger DNA fragments. See our tutorial on large DNA. LA also serves as an excellent amine-free alternative to MOPS for denaturing RNA gel electrophoresis. A solution of 1X LA runs standard gels 3 to 5 times as fast as TAE.
SB™
SB™ is the original sodium boric acid-based conductive medium. The low conductance permits SB to be used with the higher voltage than tris-based systems, achieving a higher speed of DNA separation. SB is similar to LB in chemical properties and is appropriate for separations of DNA from 20 to 3000 basepairs. A solution of 1X SB runs agarose and polyacrylamide gels 3 to 5 times as fast as TAE or TBE.
FBM sample-loading media are diluted with your DNA and water to form a 1X sample. FBM loading media contain orange G, which migrates in agarose gels near 100 bp.
LB®
10X and 20X LB: Lithium boric acid conductive medium for DNA electrophoresis (concentrate). For a 1-liter bottle with 1 sample vial of 5X LB loading medium included, shipping weight is 2.6 lb.; the 10X product is #LB10-1, $66.33, the 20X product is #LB20-1, $105.94. For a 4-liter box w/ spigot and a 4-pack of 5X LB loading medium included, shipping weight is 10 lb.; the 10X product is #LB10-4, $187.53, the 20X product is #LB20-4, $309.31. For a 10-liter box w/ spigot and 4 samples of 5X LB loading medium included, shipping weight is 25 lb., only a 20X product is offered, #LB20-10, $578.04. For a 20-liter box w/ spigot and 4 samples of 5X LB loading medium included, shipping weight is 50 lb., only a 20X product is offered, #LB20-20, $1035.96.
5X LB loading medium, the optimal choice for application of samples to LB gels and other precast nondenaturing slab gels. Package of eight vials (1.2 ml each), #LB5N-8, $63.00. Package of 50 vials (1.2 ml each), #LB5N-50, $262.66.
LA®
20X LA: Boric acid-free lithium-based conductive medium for DNA and RNA electrophoresis (concentrate). LA is available only in the 4-liter size. 4-liter box w/ spigot; 4-pack of 5X LB loading medium included, shipping weight 10 lb., #LA20-4, $171.27.
5X LA loading medium for application of samples to nondenaturing slab gels. Package of eight vials (1.2 ml each), #LA5N-8, $63.00.
SB™
10X and 20X SB: Sodium boric acid-based conductive medium for DNA electrophoresis (concentrate). For a 1-liter bottle with 1 sample vial of 5X SB loading medium included, shipping weight is 2.6 lb.; the 10X product is #SB10-1, $66.33, the 20X product is #SB20-1, $105.94. For a 4-liter box w/ spigot and 4 samples of 5X SB loading medium included, shipping weight is10 lb.; the 10X product is #SB10-4, $187.53 the 20X product is #SB20-4, $309.31. For the 10 liter box w/ spigot and 4 samples of 5X SB loading medium included, shipping weight is 25 lb., only the 20X product is offered, #SB20-10, $578.04. For a 20-liter box w/ spigot and 4 samples of 5X SB loading medium included, shipping weight is 50 lb., only the 20X product is offered, #SB20-20, $1035.96.
5XSB FBM loading medium for application of samples to SB, LB, and precast nondenaturing slab gels. Package of eight vials (1.2 ml each), #SB5N-8, $63.00.Package of 40 vials (1.2 ml each), shipping weight 6.0 oz, #SB5N-40, $262.66.
Tap-Out™
Low-EEO Agarose: Using agarose to make a gel need not create a mess. FBM's Tap-Out Agarose has great specs and is supplied in a small-mouth tap-out dispensing bottle. Just tap a quantity into your flask or onto a weigh boat as you measure out the amount you need. Its more uniform milling better prevents "straggler" particles after boiling; our 100 g product is #A100, $170. >1200 g/cm2 gel strength at 1%. < 0.13 -MR electroendosmosis. Melting point ~89C. Gel point ~37C. Shipping weight < 1 lb.
Get the right sample environment - starting with your first gel! Our pop-off samples of 5X loading medium on every bottle of 20X LB and SB low-conductance electrophoretic medium makes buying and running DNA gels easy. You can also re-order packs of loading media (...bottles not attached). Cubitainers come with four sample tubes.
