An easy tool to monitor the elemental steps of in vitro translation via gel electrophoresis of fluorescently labeled small peptides

Comparison of electrophoretic mobilities of BPY-ML₂ (2, 5) with that of BPY-MF₂ (3, 6). Products of the coupled transcription–translational system PURExpress Kit using mRNAs coding for MFF and MLL peptides. Lanes 1 and 4 correspond to the BPY-M-tRNA^fMet and BPY-M, respectively. The products of peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis by 1 M NaHCO₃ are separated in lanes 4–6. BPY marked with a green oval—BODIPY label; black circle—methionine; gray circles—phenylalanine residues or leucine residues; blue oval—tRNA^fMet.