3.3 Total Protein Staining

Below are listed and briefly described some commonly used stains, as well as how to use fluorescent dyes for protein pre-labeling.
Commonly Used Stains & Protein Pre-Labeling
Ponceau S
It provides a fast and simple reversible staining method for Western blotting, but has relatively low sensitivity for proteins with a detection limit greater than 250 ng.
Ponceau S is compatible with nitrocellulose (NC) membranes and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes.
Ponceau S staining is a quick and easy way to check whether proteins from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) gels have been transferred onto membranes.
Ponceau S can be easily eluted with water and is considered a "mild" treatment method that does not interfere with subsequent immunodetection.
Note that when using PVDF membranes in combination with SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), ensure that the membrane is washed in 100% methanol first after transfer before staining. This is because Ponceau S staining solution is incompatible with SDS.
Coomassie Brilliant Blue
Coomassie Brilliant Blue is generally used for staining polyacrylamide gels and is also suitable for staining membranes.