Differences between agar and agarose
Agar and agarose come from the same source, red algae, and are products that can cause confusion, as they are closely interconnected. Both are used in the field of microbiological analysis and provide nutrients to microorganisms, although they have differences in their chemical effects or functional properties, but let’s take a closer look at their […]
Agar and agarose come from the same source, red algae, and are products that can cause confusion, as they are closely interconnected. Both are used in the field of microbiological analysis and provide nutrients to microorganisms, although they have differences in their chemical effects or functional properties, but let’s take a closer look at their differences step by step.
Their origins are different; agar is derived from red algae of the species Gracilaria and Gelidium, while agarose comes from agar, after a purification process. It is produced by purifying agar.
Regarding their production, agar is extracted from the cell walls of the algae species we have mentioned. The extraction process for agarose is more complex, costly, and requires more time.
They also differ in their chemical nature since agar is a mixture of two components, which includes the linear polysaccharide agarose and a heterogeneous mixture of smaller molecules known as agaropectin. On the other hand, agarose is a linear polysaccharide.
As for their uses, agar is used in microbiology for the cultivation of bacteria and in the food industry. The main application of agarose is in electrophoresis, the separation of large molecular structures, such as DNA. It is also used in immune diffusion and immune electrophoresis and to manufacture agarose resins used to separate and purify proteins in chromatography.
At Hispanagar, we have a wide catalog of food and bacteriological agars, as well as agaroses. All of them are of high quality, perfect for any type of project.
