Gel Electrophoresis

Question 1

What is Gel Electrophoresis?

Answer 1

It is a teqnique used to seperate DNA fragments based on their molecular size

Question 2

Why can the DNA move through the GEL, like whats so special about the gel.

Answer 2

It is a porous structure so DNA can move through

Question 3

Why does DNA move throught the chamber to the positive charge?

Answer 3

Because DNA is overal negative charge, this is because the sugar phosphate backbone is slight negative. So it is attracted towards the positive electrode.

Question 4

What do you need to do the DNA before getting it for the gel electrophoresis

Answer 4

It needs to be cut by restriction enzymes and mixed with loading dye to be identifiable.

Question 5

What do you call the little holes you put DNA in?

Answer 5

Wells.

Question 6

How does DNA fragment size affect their movement through the gel?

Answer 6

The larger the fragments the slower it is, and the smaller fragements the fast it gets to the bottom OVER A PERIOD OF TIME

Question 7

How many bands of DNA does Hetrozygous and Homozygous person produce?

Also briefly say why

Answer 7

Homozygous produces one band, because theyve got the same copy of the allele of the gene.
Hetrozygous produces two bands because it has different alleles with diffrent lenghts.

Question 8

What is your Standard ladder?

Answer 8

It is a sample of DNA with known fragment sizes

Question 9

What could be a negative control for this experiment?

Answer 9

Is when you add everything in PCR steps except DNA to see if there is any contamination in PCR mixture. Expect no bandoooo

Question 10

What would be the positive control for this experiment?

Answer 10

Adding a known DNA fragment by pcr to diagnose if there are any issues with PCR before.

Question 11

What is a Short Tandem Repeat?

Answer 11

A short reigion of DNA that is usually 2-4 base pairs repeated numerous times in non coding reigions.

Question 12

What are the applications of Gel Electrophoresis?

Answer 12

Genetic disorders and DNA profiling

Question 13

How do you measure the distance of the bands travelled?

Answer 13

You measure from the end of the well to the end of the band

Question 14

What are some reasons to why the Standard Ladder is important and the reason we dont use a ruler.

Answer 14

1. Voltage, a stronger electrical force causes DNA to travel further
2. The time , longer time, longer distance
3. The gel’s composition- some gels have a greater consistency
4. Buffer concentration, more ions the more current can flow, which leads DNA to move further.