Radioactive staining of gels to identify proteins

Radioactive staining of gels is employed to identify proteins. A radioactive stain composition is formed by introducing radioactive iron isotope into ferrous bathophenanthroline sulfonate by adding crystalline ascorbic acid and acetic acid to a 59FeCl3 solution, adding aqueous BPS solution after the dissolution of the crystals, and adding methanol and acetic acid to yield the radioactive stain composition. Alternatively, the radioactive stain composition may be formed by bombarding a non-radioactive stain with thermal neutrons. The method of identifying proteins with the radioactive stain composition basically comprises the steps of placing the protein in the gel, forming a radioactic stain composition, and applying the radioactivated stain composition to the gel. To demonstrate the protein present, either a gamma scintillation counting technique or radioautography is preferably employed.