A mass spectrometry compatible silver staining method for protein incorporating a new silver sensitizer in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels.

A quick, sensitive, and MALDI-TOF MS compatible silver staining method, namely Eriochrome black T (EBT)-silver method, is described. The method can detect 0.05-0.2 ng protein within 60 min in SDS-PAGE gels. EBT dye was used as a silver ion sensitizer having reducing power for silver ions.