Zinc/imidazole negative staining

Materials
1. The gel you want to stain
2. 0.2M imidazole
3. 0.2M Zinc Chloride/Sulfate/Acetate

Method
1. Wash gel in water for a few seconds
2. Incubate gel in 0.2M imidazole for 15 mins
3. Wash gel in water for a few seconds
4. Incubate gel in zinc for ~1minute, until opacity shows. Hold over a dark surface.
5. Wash gel in water three times for a few seconds

Destain
1. Excise bands of interest
2. Incubate gel in PBS pH 7.4, 100mM EDTA. Repeat. (50mM Tris pH 8, 100mM EDTA OK)
3. Discard and wash with water for 5min, repeat twice more.