Lab 10 Flashcards
What is Gel Electrophoresis ?
Gel electrophoresis is a laboratory method used to separate
mixtures of DNA, RNA, or proteins according to molecular size.
Is DNA negatively charged or positively charged?
DNA are NEGATIVELY CHARGED molecules due to their phosphate
backbone, and they naturally travel toward the positive charge at the far end of the gel.
What is Agarose gels are made from?
Agarose gels are made from the natural polysaccharide polymers extracted from seaweed
Why is aragose gel easily cast?
Agarose gels are easily cast and handled compared to other matrices, because the gel setting is a physical rather than chemical change
what does aragose gel look like?
Agarose is available as a white powder which dissolves in near-boiling water, and forms a gel when it cools.
TRUE OR FALSE
polysaccharide matrix functions as a sort of sieve
TRUE
Why is a buffer used in gel electrophoresis?
Buffers in gel electrophoresis are used to provide ions that carry a current and to maintain the pH at a relatively constant value
What is TBE?
TBE or Tris/Borate/EDTA, is a buffer solution containing a mixture of Tris base, boric acid and EDTA
TRUE OR FALSE
Tris-acid solutions are effective buffers for slightly basic
conditions, which keep DNA deprotonated and soluble in
water.
TRUE
What is TAE buffer?
TAE buffer is a buffer solution containing a mixture of Tris base, acetic acid and EDTA
TRUE OR FLASE
TAE has a lower buffer capacity than TBE and can easily
become exhausted, but linear, double stranded DNA runs
faster in TAE.
true
What is Ethidium Bromide?
It is an intercalating agent commonly used as a fluorescent tag (nucleic
acid stain) in molecular biology laboratories for techniques such
as agarose gel electrophoresis
Do you need to wear gloves when handling EtBr?
YES! it IS a mutagen, wear gloves when you handle the gel or
gel electrophoresis apparatus.
Parts of Gel Electrophoresis Apparatus
SLIDE 14
LOOK AT slide 15
