Gel Retardation Assay
Gel retardation assay is a laboratory technique used to determine the interaction between nucleic acid and proteins. This assay is performed to measure the affinity of a protein for a nucleic acid molecule. It is used in the studies of transcription, DNA binding proteins and DNA replication. The nucleic acid and protein are separated on an agarose gel based on their size and relative mobility. The protein-nucleic acid complexes formed due to the interaction between them do not migrate easily, hence appearing as retarded bands on the gel. This assay is used to determine the specificity and affinity of the protein for the nucleic acid sequences and can also be used to measure competition between two proteins for the same nucleic acid sequence.
← Journal of DNA And RNA Research