Gel Electrophoresis, Gel Electrophoresis
Why do gel electrophoresis?
1. To determine which organisms are most closely related. 2. To determine paternity of a child. 3. For crime scene analysis.
Gel electrophoresis
A technique used to separate segments of DNA based on their size using an electric current
Third step in gel electrophoresis
An electric charge is applied to the gel. The negatively charged DNA moves toward the positive side of the gel.
Restriction Enzyme
Cuts DNA molecules at a specific sequence of nucleotides to make smaller fragments
Results of gel electrophoresis
DNA fragments are separated by size. Smaller fragments move the furthest while larger fragments will be closer to the loading well. These are seen as bands within the gel.
Bands
DNA fragments of the same length on the gel produce visible
First step in gel electrophoresis
DNA is first cut using special enzymes called restriction enzymes.
What is gel electrophoresis for?
It is used to separate DNA fragments based upon size.
Longer DNA fragments
Move slower through the gel and end up closer to the wells than shorter DNA fragments
Shorter DNA fragments
Move slower through the gel and end up further from the wells than longer DNA fragments
Second step in gel electrophoresis
The DNA sample is loaded into an agarose gel.
Negative
The charge on DNA, and electrode at the end where the wells are
Positive
The electrode that the DNA migrates towards
Wells
The spaces that are loaded with DNA samples
DNA fingerprint
Unique sequence of DNA base pairs that can be used to identify a person at the molecular level
Palindrome
Words or (DNA fragments) that can be read the same forwards and backwards
forensic science
scientific study of crime scene evidence the scientific analysis of evidence for crime scene and other investigations
DNA ladder
set of known DNA fragments with different sizes in base pairs or kilo bases. these DNA fragments are separated and visualized as DNA bands on a gel. used to determine the size and quantity of DNA fragments
