Injection bias of DNA fragments in capillary electrophoresis with sieving.

The relative amounts of DNA fragments in a mixture injected into the capillary by electromigration or hydrodynamically by pressure were compared. Even if the electrophoretic mobilities of DNA fragments with different sizes are the same in a free solution in the sample vial, the size bias is brought about by the different mobilities in a sieving medium and by the electroosmosis. The experiments were performed in capillaries filled with a solution of liquified agarose, a replaceable sieving medium. The experimental results were compared with a theoretical model.