50X TAE buffer recipe
A concentrated stock of agarose-gel running buffer. Diluted 50-fold, 1X is 40 mM Tris-acetate and 1 mM EDTA.
🧮 Volume calculator
| Component | Amount | Final concentration (1X) |
|---|---|---|
| Tris base | 242 g | 2 M (1X 40 mM) |
| Glacial acetic acid | 57.1 mL | 1 M (1X 20 mM) |
| 0.5 M EDTA (pH 8.0) | 100 mL | 50 mM (1X 1 mM) |
| Water (distilled) | to final volume |
Steps
- Dissolve Tris base in about 700 mL of water.
- Add glacial acetic acid and 0.5 M EDTA (fume hood).
- Make up to 1 L. Do not adjust the pH (≈ 8.3 at 1X).
- Store at room temperature.
Good to know
- TAE resolves large DNA (>2 kb) well and is good for gel extraction, but loses buffering capacity during long runs.
⚠ Safety Glacial acetic acid is corrosive and irritating — use a fume hood.
FAQ
TAE or TBE?
TAE for large DNA and gel extraction; TBE for sharp resolution of small fragments (<1 kb) and long runs.
This is a widely used standard composition. Amounts depend on the hydrate form and purity of your reagents — check the formula weight (FW) on the bottle and follow your institution's safety rules and the manufacturers' instructions.