Versatile - Gels can be retained with Silver

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS-PAGE) is one of the most effective techniques for separating complex mixtures of proteins into their constituent polypeptides. Various techniques have been developed to visualize the proteins on the gel although Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) staining remains the most commonly used technique (1).
Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining as commonly practiced is simple, reliable and economical but lacks the sensitivity often needed in protein analysis and requires rather lengthy staining (up to 6 hours) and background destaining (up to 48 hours) protocols. (2).
Rapid Coomassie Stain is a unique Coomassie blue based formulation where the dye is preferentially absorbed by the protein bands rather than by the gel matrix, thus completely eliminating the destaining step.
Rapid Coomassie Stain is a simple 2-step procedure consisting of a 10 minute incubation in TCA followed by a 20-40 minute incubation inRapid Coomassie Stain. The protein band may be detected within 10 minutes of placing the gel in Rapid Coomassie Stain, although maximum intensification of bands may require up to 40 minutes. There is no need for destaining.
The other advantages of Rapid Coomassie Stain compared to conventional Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining are the enhanced sensitivity of detection and sharper resolution in the Rapid Coomassie Stain resulting from the fixation step. Thus the use of Rapid Coomassie Stainfacilitates detection of as low as 7.9 ng protein within one hour of completion of electrophoresis.

References:
1. Fazekas de St. Groth, S., Webster, R.G., and Daytner, A. (1936) Biochem. Biophys. Acta 71, 377-391.
2. Hames, B.D. (1981) In Gel Electrophoresis of Proteins. (Hawes, B.D. and Rickwood, D., eds.) pp. 44-49. IRL Press, Washington, D.C.