Gel Electrophoresis Flashcards
What is Gel Electrophoresis?
It is a technique that uses a gel made of a polymer (for example a polysaccharide)
The gel acts as a molecular sieve to do what?
To separate nucleic acids, or proteins on the basis of size, electrical charge, and other physical properties.
What do nucleic acid molecules carry?
Negative charges on their phosphate groups.
Because nucleic acid molecules carry negative charges on their phosphate groups they do what?
That all travel toward the positive pole in an electric field.
What impedes longer molecules as they move?
The thicket of polymer fibers.
What is the first step in Gel Electrophoresis?
Placing each sample of DNA molecules in a separate well near one end of a thin slab of gel.
Where is the gel set and placed?
The gel is set into a plastic support and placed in an aqueous solution.
Where is the solution?
I’m a tray with electrodes at each end.
What happens when the current is turned on?
The negatively charged DNA molecules move toward positive electrode.
Which moves faster? The shorter molecules or the faster molecules?
The shorter molecules.
The next step after the current is turned on and the molecules move is to what?
Turn off the current and add a DNA binding dye.
When the the dye is fluorescent pink in ultraviolet light, what does it reveal?
The separate bonds to which it binds.
