Borax-Based Gel Electrophoresis: A Novel Approach for RNA Integrity Analysis

This study explores the feasibility of using borax-based agarose gel electrophoresis for RNA integrity assessment. Multiple independent experiments demonstrated that borax, in addition to its buffering properties, exhibits denaturing-like behavior, effectively separating RNA molecules with comparable resolution to formaldehyde-based methods. This finding is surprising, given that theoretically, no evidence for borax denaturing activity exists, as it is typically considered a non-denaturing buffer. This method offers a compelling alternative to traditional formaldehyde-based methods for RNA analysis in various research and clinical settings, offering several advantages, including enhanced safety, simplified protocols, and reduced electrophoresis time. By eliminating the need for pre-treatment steps and utilizing borax as both a buffer and denaturant, this method simplifies RNA analysis. While the precise mechanism underlying this denaturing-like effect remains to be elucidated, further studies are needed to fully characterize these properties and explore its broader applicability.