Dna Isolation And Gel Electrophoresis Essay

810 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The structure of dna

The lab this week included deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolation and gel electrophoresis. All living organisms depend on DNA in order to live. In fact, DNA is the “blueprint” passed from parents to their offspring. If the parents have any kind of genetic disorder it is highly possible it is passed on to their children. DNA is a complex structure made up of nucleotides. The reason I say complex is because each nucleotide contains a sugar, phosphate and one of four nitrogen bases. The nitrogen bases include adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine. The base is what determines the genetic code for each molecule of DNA. I find it amazing you can see DNA that is grouped together with the naked eye.

Methods and Materials During the first experiment, I extracted strawberry DNA from strawberry filtrate. The materials used to complete this procedure included:
Prepared strawberry filtrate
Pipettes
Biohazard Bag
Test tube
Meat tenderizer
Distilled water
Cold 100% isopropyl alcohol
Spooling glass rod
Ice
Container to house ice This experiment used prepared strawberry filtrate so I did not have to break down the strawberries myself. It was …show more content…

This process gives you the ability to identify the length and specific genotype of DNA. Due to DNA having a negative charge it was attracted to the positive current provided by the light which made it migrate. The separation of the short molecules from the long ones was obvious because the short ones move much faster when exposed to the positive charge. I used the proper amount of voltage and allowed the gel to process the correct length of time. I used several different times which allowed me to view the migration at a slower pace. The ethidium bromide dye illustrated the migration pattern of my samples. The experiment was a success because I was able to determine the correct genotype for each

Show More
Related

  • Experimental Design : Identifying An Unknown Insert

    2195 Words  | 5 Pages

    The two modes of analysis that will be used to identify an unknown insert piece of DNA would be plating the transformation cells onto LA plates that have either ampicillin or chloramphenicol and PCR. We will use the PCR thermocycler to denature the restriction enzymes that were specifically used to assimilate the vector DNA. It is important to use the PCR thermocycler because denaturation of the restriction enzyme will prevent the restriction enzyme from cutting the vector DNA, after the insert DNA has assimilated to the vector DNA. After the addition of specific primers that complement the base pair to its corresponding target strand, PCR will be used. Subsequently, Taq polymerase will be used to determine whether the insert DNA has been properly assimilated to the vector DNA. Within this specific situation, the target strand will be the insert DNA. After we let the PCR thermocycler run for approximately 2 ½ hours, we will then put our PCR products in the gel and run the gel to completion. After the gel has run to completion, we will then take a photograph of the gel using the UV transilluminator with the assistance of our TA. If the insert DNA was properly assimilated to the vector DNA, then our corresponding gel photo would have one band. After the cells have been transformed, we would g...

    Read More

  • Using PCR and Gel Electrophoresis to Determine Genotype

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    Upon completion of the experiment we were able to examine the DNA. First, the electrophorese

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of DNA Analysis

    1216 Words  | 3 Pages

    DNA is the genetic material found in cells of all living organisms. Human beings contain approximately one trillion cells (Aronson 9). DNA is a long strand in the shape of a double helix made up of small building blocks (Riley). The repeat segments are cut out of the DNA strand by a restrictive enzyme that acts like scissors and the resulting fragments are sorted out by electrophoresis (Saferstein 391).

    Read More

  • Chloroplasts Essay

    1837 Words  | 4 Pages

    These six samples (crude -/+, broken -/+, and whole -/+) were spun at 5000 rpm, and the resulting pellets were isolated and resuspended in DNase buffer. The set of suspensions labeled with a (+) was incubated in DNase enzyme for 15 minutes, and afterwards incubated in 15 uL of STOP solution. All six samples were lysed for DNA extraction with DNA extraction buffer, and micro-centrifuged at maximum speed. To precipitate the extracted DNA, the supernatants from each of the six samples were added to their correspondingly labeled micro-centrifuge tubes containing 7% ethanol (Parent et. al, 2008To bind the DNA, the ethanol lysate mixtures were transferred to labeled spin columns and spun for one minute in the micro-centrifuge at maximum speed. To wash the bound DNA, the spin columns were washed and spun three times at maximum speed. In order to elute the bound DNA, the samples were washed in 80 uL of distilled water and spun again for 2 minutes at maximum speed (Parent et. al,

    Read More

  • Impact of Electrophoresis and DNA Sequencing

    951 Words  | 2 Pages

    During this time, it could only be used in a lab with semi-intense supervision. Now, fast forward a few decades and there are D.I.Y. at home kits. The process of Electrophoresis starts with an electric current being run through a gel containing the molecules of interest. The molecules will then travel through the gel in different directions and speeds, based on their size and charge, allowing them to be separated from each other. Dyes, fluorescent tags, and radioactive labels can all enable the molecules on the gel to be seen after they have been separated. Because of these identification markers, they appear as a band across the top of the gel. Electrophoresis can be used for many different things. It is used to identify and study DNA or DNA fragments, and helps us to better understand the molecular components of both living and deceased organisms. Electrophoresis can also be used to test for genes related to specific diseases and life altering diagnoses such as Multiple Sclerosis, Down’s Syndrome, kidney disease, and some types of cancer. Electrophoresis also plays a major role in the testing of antibiotics. It can be used to determine the purity and concentration of one specific type of antibiotic or several general antibiotics at a time. Electrophoresis is also extremely useful in the creation and testing of

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mitochondrial DNA

    1403 Words  | 3 Pages

    We first started out with DNA extraction. We swabbed a toothpick on the inside of our cheek. We isolated the mitochondrial DNA from that sample of cheek cells. We used different reagents that lysed the cells and made it easier for the students to be able to have access to the nucleic acids. For example the buffer ATL breaks down the cell membrane, but has the environment similar to the cell as far as salt and pH concentration. The proteinase K breaks do...

    Read More

  • Understanding Lung Cancer: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

    1860 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tsou, J. A., Hagen, J. A., Carpenter, C. L., & Laird-Offringa, I. A. (2002, August 05). DNA

    Read More

  • Gel Electrophoresis

    1456 Words  | 3 Pages

    As seen on many crime shows and at real-life crime scenes, it is necessary to be able to identify DNA. Most of the time, this is done using a technique known as gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a method used to separate the macromolecules that make up nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, along with proteins. Gel electrophoresis is significant because it has given scientists insight on what cells cause certain diseases and has led to advancements in DNA and fingerprint identification. My experiment will use gel electrophoresis to compare samples of natural and synthetic food dyes. The background for this experiment broaches the following subjects: inventors, real-world uses, necessary components, separation, and information on food dyes.

    Read More

  • The Human Genome Project

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    DNA underlies almost every aspect of human health, both in function and dysfunction. Obtaining a detailed picture of how genes and other DNA sequences function together and interact with environmental factors ultimately will... ... middle of paper ... ... rgy-related agents, especially in terms of cancer risk. Although there could be great benefits in human health and disease, some people are not happy with the work being done on the Human Genome Project and say its unethical and that the money could be better spent on other things like improving the health of very poor people that probably won’t benefit from the project and who will continue to be vulnerable to infectious diseases.

    Read More

  • Gel Electrophoresis Lab Report

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    Agarose gel electrophoresis separates molecules by to their size, shape, and charge. Biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins, are some examples. Buffered samples such as glycerol and glucose are loaded into a gel. An electrical current is placed across the gel. The current moves the molecules towards the cathode or anode. The speed of the moving molecules depends on the size, shape, and charge. The properties of the gel will definitely affect the movement. Small molecules are expected to move easily and faster thru the pores.

    Read More

  • Overview of the Importance of DNA

    1575 Words  | 4 Pages

    Discoveries in DNA, cell biology, evolution, and biotechnology have been among the major achievements in biology over the past 200 years, with accelerated discoveries and insight’s over the last 50 years. Consider the progress we have made in these areas of human knowledge. Present at least three of the discoveries you find to be the most important and describe their significance to society, health, and the culture of modern life. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a self-replicating molecule or material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent in chromosomes. It encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses.

    Read More

  • Essay On Agarose Gel

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    Agarose gel is poured in the casting trays. Actually casting trays is available various in sizes and made of UV transparent plastic. Finally, the comb is used to make well in the gel where the dyed DNA will be loaded. According to Bio Rad (n.d.) comb is placed in slots on the casting tray. Usually, it is put in the slot before agarose gel (melted gel) is poured. Then, the comb is taken out after the gel solidifies. The comb will leave small hole that are called well that made from teeth of the comb.

    Read More

  • The Discovery Of The Structure Of DNA

    1520 Words  | 4 Pages

    James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA, but only by drawing on the work of many scientists who came before them. (Maddox, 2003) In 1944, Oswald T. Avery, Colin M. MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty published “Studies on the Chemical Nature of the Substance Inducing Transformation of Pneumococcal Types”, which was the first scientific work to identify DNA as the molecule that carried genetic information, and became a breakthrough at that time. (Avery, Macleod, & McCarty, 1944) Before Avery and coworkers published their paper, there was very little interest in DNA among scientists in the field of genetics. Very little was known about DNA, however, early analyses suggested that it was a very simple molecule, at least in terms of its chemical composition. This view was best embodied by the so-called “tetranucleotide hypothesis”, which held that DNA was composed of equal amounts of four nucleotides, adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. (Fredholm, 2003) DNA was thought to be “too simple” as a molecule to carry so much genetic information. Instead, there was much interest in proteins as the chemical identity of genes, which was understandable in light of the tetranucleotide hypothesis. In contrast to the supposed simplicity of DNA, proteins, composed of varying amounts of 20 amino acids, appeared to possess the chemical diversity required to function as genes.

    Read More

  • DNA Evidence Synthesis Essay

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017). In addition, according to yourgenome.org DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is also a long molecule that contains our unique genetic code. Like a recipe book, it holds the instructions for making all the proteins in our bodies (Wellcome Genome Campus, 2016).

    Read More

  • The Strawberry

    1942 Words  | 4 Pages

    The strawberry, a fruit of the genus Fragaria, has been around for many centuries. Throughout the centuries the strawberry has been studied, cultivated, reported upon, and simply enjoyed by millions. This very abundant fruit has had a variety of uses: It has been used for medicinal purposes; for decorations throughout a person's home; and, for the pleasure of eating.

    Read More

More about Dna Isolation And Gel Electrophoresis Essay

Open Document