# TAE buffer

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Buffer solution

**TAE buffer** is a [buffer solution](/source/Buffer_solution) containing a mixture of [Tris base](/source/Tris_base), [acetic acid](/source/Acetic_acid) and [EDTA](/source/EDTA).

In molecular biology, it is used in agarose [electrophoresis](/source/Electrophoresis) typically for the separation of [nucleic acids](/source/Nucleic_acids) such as [DNA](/source/DNA) and [RNA](/source/RNA).[1] It is made up of [Tris-acetate](/source/Tris-acetate) buffer, usually at pH 8.3, and [EDTA](/source/EDTA), which sequesters divalent cations. TAE has a lower buffer capacity than [TBE](/source/TBE_buffer) and can easily become exhausted, but linear, double stranded DNA runs faster in TAE.

According to studies by Brody and Kern, sodium boric acid[a] is a superior and cheaper conductive media for most DNA [gel electrophoresis](/source/Gel_electrophoresis) applications.[2][3]

## Uses

TAE (Tris-acetate-EDTA) buffer is used as both a running buffer and in agarose gels.[4] Its use in denaturing gradient [gel electrophoresis](/source/Gel_electrophoresis) methods for broad-range mutation analysis has also been described.[5] TAE has been used at various concentrations to study the mobility of DNA in solution with and without [sodium chloride](/source/Sodium_chloride).[6] However, high concentrations of sodium chloride (and many other salts) in a DNA sample retard its mobility. This may lead to incorrect interpretations of the resulting DNA banding pattern.

## Preparation

TAE buffer is commonly prepared as a 50× stock solution for laboratory use. A 50× stock solution can be prepared by dissolving 242 g Tris base in water, adding 57.1 ml glacial acetic acid, and 100 ml of 500 mM EDTA (pH 8.0) solution, and bringing the final volume up to 1 litre. This stock solution can be diluted 49:1 with water to make a 1× working solution. This 1× solution will contain 40 mM Tris, 20 mM acetic acid, and 1 mM EDTA.

No. Name Per 1 mole 50x solution 50× 1× solution 1X 1 Tris base 121.1 g/L 2 M 242.2 g/L 40 mM 4.844 g/L 2 acetic acid 57.1 ml/L 1 M 57.1 ml/L 20 mM 1.21 ml/L 3 EDTA disodium salt dihydrate 372.24 g/L 50 mM 18.612 g/L 1 mM 0.372 g/L

2 M = 2000 mM so 2000 mM /50 = 40 mM for 1×. 1M = 1000 mM so 1000 mM /50 = 20 mM for 1×. 50 mM /50 = 1 mM for 1×.

First of all, these ingredients should be dissolved in 500 ml, then made up to 1000 ml. Note: EDTA will take more time to dissolve, so while dissolving EDTA use magnetic stirrer (few amounts of EDTA in 3 or 4 times).

A step-by-step recipe of the preparation method for 50× TAE buffer is available on protocols.io.[7]

## See also

- [TBE buffer](/source/TBE_buffer)

- [LB buffer](/source/LB_buffer)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** 5 mM disodium borate decahydrate or 10 mM sodium hydroxide, pH adjusted to 8.5 with boric acid.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Ogden, R.C., and Adams, D.A., (1987) Electrophoresis in agarose and acrylamide gels. *Methods Enzymol*., **152**:, 61-87.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Brody, J.R.; Kern, S.E. (2004). ["History and principles of conductive media for standard DNA electrophoresis"](http://www.cc.ahs.chula.ac.th/Molmed/DNA%20electro%27s%20conductive%20media.pdf) (PDF). *Anal Biochem*. **333** (1): 1–13. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ab.2004.05.054](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ab.2004.05.054). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [15351274](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15351274).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BrodyKern2004_4-0)** Brody, Jonathan R.; Kern, Scott E. (February 2004). ["Sodium boric acid: a Tris-free, cooler conductive medium for DNA electrophoresis"](https://doi.org/10.2144%2F04362BM02). *BioTechniques*. **36** (2): 214–216. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2144/04362BM02](https://doi.org/10.2144%2F04362BM02).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Sambrook, Fritsch, and Maniatis (1989) *Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual*, 2nd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, volume 3, apendices B.11 and B.23 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87969-309-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87969-309-6)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hayes, V.M.; et al. (1999). ["Improvements in gel composition and electrophoretic conditions for broad-range mutation analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC148660). *Nucleic Acids Res*. **27** (20): e29. [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [148660](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC148660). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [10497279](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10497279).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Stellwagen, E.; Stellwagen, N.C. (2002). "The free solution mobility of DNA in Tris-acetate-EDTA buffers of different concentrations, with and without added NaCl". *Electrophoresis*. **23** (12): 1935–1941. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/1522-2683(200206)23:12<1935::AID-ELPS1935>3.0.CO;2-#](https://doi.org/10.1002%2F1522-2683%28200206%2923%3A12%3C1935%3A%3AAID-ELPS1935%3E3.0.CO%3B2-%23). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [12116139](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12116139).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Behle, Anna; Pawlowski, Alice (6 April 2018). ["Recipe for 50x TAE buffer"](https://www.protocols.io/view/recipe-for-50x-tae-buffer-gtvbwn6). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.17504/protocols.io.gtvbwn6](https://doi.org/10.17504%2Fprotocols.io.gtvbwn6). {{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: Cite journal requires |journal= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#missing_periodical))

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