Gel Electrophoresis

Question 1

How many steps does a Gel Electrophoresis have?

Answer 1

5 Steps

Question 2

What are the Gel Electrophoresis steps?

Answer 2

1) Make the gel
2) Set up the gel apparatus
3) Load the DNA sample into the gel
4) Hook up the electrical current and run the gel
5) Stain the gel and analyze the results

Question 3

Are all DNA strands the same length?

Answer 3

No, DNA strands have several different lengths

Question 4

Are DNA strands able to be seen under microscopes?

Answer 4

No, DNA strands are molecules so tiny that you can’t see them under most microscopes

Question 5

What even is Gel Electrophoresis?

Answer 5

Sorting and measuring DNA strands tha you can’t see or touch

Question 6

When do scientists use Gel Electrophoresis?

Answer 6

Whenever DNA strands need to be sorted according to length

Question 7

What is Gel Electrophoresis useful for?

Answer 7

It’s a useful technique when separating other types of molecules, like protiens

Question 8

What does the gel do?

Answer 8

The gel in the filter sorts out the DNA strands

Question 9

What is Electrophoresis?

Answer 9

Electrophoresis is how DNA strands are pushed throught the gel filter, adding electrical current to make DNA move

Question 10

Do short strands move faster or slower than longer strands in gel?

Answer 10

Short strands move through the holes in the gel quicker than the long strands

Question 11

Do longer strands move farther away from the starting point or do shorter strands?

Answer 11

Overtime shorter strands will move farther away from the starting point than the longer strands

Question 12

What happens when strands are the same length?

Answer 12

DNA strands of the same length will move at the same pace and end up being grouped together

Question 13

How are DNA strands sorted out?

Answer 13

DNA strands sample sort themselves

Question 14

Can you see DNA?

Answer 14

No, but you can see large groups of stained strands, these groups show up as bands in the gel

Question 15

What are the things needed to make the gel?

Answer 15

• powdered seaweed agarose
• buffer
• a flask
• a microwave
• gel mold
• gel comb

Question 16

What are the eight steps in #1) Making the Gel?

Answer 16

1) Put small amount of agarose in flask
2) Add liquid buffer
3) Loosely place plastic wrap over flask (to prevent overflow)
4) Place flask in microwave and heat mixture (till agarose melts into buffer)
5) Remove plastice wrap and pour agarose mixture into mold
6) Place comb into the gel on one end
7) Let gel cool and solidify (usually takes around half an hour) (as gel cools tiny holes will form in it)
8) Carefully remove comb (leaving empty wells for DNA samples)

Question 17

What is buffer?

Answer 17

Buffer is a salt water solution that will let electrical charges flow through the gel

Question 18

What are the two steps in #2) Set Up Gel Apparatus?

Answer 18

1) Pour buffer into electrophoresis box
2) Place the gel still in the mold, into box (the gel should barley be submerged in the buffer)

Question 19

What are the things you will need for step #2? (Set Up Gel Apparatus)

Answer 19

• the gel you just made
• an electrophoresis box
• another bottle of buffer

Question 20

What does the buffer do in step #2?

Answer 20

The buffer will conduct the electrical current from one end of the gel to the other, this will also keep the gel from drying out the experiment

Question 21

What are the five steps of #3) Load the DNA sample into the gel?

Answer 21

1) Suck loading buffer with clean pipette and add it to the DNA sample
2) Suck up some of the DNA sample into the pipet tip
3) Eject the DNA sample from the pipet into the first well of the gel
4) Using a clean pipet tip, suck up some of the DNA size standard
5) Transfer DNA size into the next empty well

Question 22

What are the things needed for step #3) Load DNA sample into the gel?

Answer 22

• loading buffer
• tube of DNA
• DNA size standard
• micropipette
• electrophoresis box containing buffer and gel
• pipette tips

Question 23

What and why are DNA samples prepared in clear liquid solution?

Answer 23

Because they would be hard to see if you tried to load it directly into a well

Question 24

What does the dye in the buffer do?

Answer 24

It makes the sample easier to see and also slightly goopy

Question 25

Why is it important that the buffer contains a certain dye?

Answer 25

Because it makes the DNA sample thicker so that it will drop into the well instead of floating away

Question 26

Does DNA size contain buffer?

Answer 26

DNA size already contains buffer

Question 27

What does DNA standard contain?

Answer 27

DNA standard contains DNA strands of unknown lengths of the DNA strands in your sample

Question 28

What are the three steps in #4) Hook up the electrical current and run the gel?

Answer 28

1) Turn on the power to your power supply
2) Plug the black cord from the electrophoresis box into the matching outlets and turn on power supply
3) While gel in running, check for bubbles (bubbles are proof that your current is running)

Question 29

What are the things needed for #4) Hook up the electrical current and run the gel?

Answer 29

• power supply
• gel electrophoresis box

Question 30

What do the black and red cords generate?

Answer 30

Red - positive charges
Black - negative charges

Question 31

What are the four steps of #5) Stain the gel and analyze the results?

Answer 31

1) Take out the gel mold with the gel out of the electrophoresis box
2) You will need to stain the DNA using DNA staining solution
3) Drag the gel out of the mold and put it into the DNA staining solution (takes about half an hour)
4) Remove the gel from the staining solution and place it on the UV light box and turn the UV box on

Question 32

What are the things needed for #5) Stain the gel and analyze the results?

Answer 32

• DNA staining solution
• UV light box

Question 33

Why should you use protective goggles when using a UV light box?

Answer 33

You should always wear protective goggles when using anything with UV light because it can cause damage to your eyes

Question 34

Can Electrophoresis tell us the exact length of DNA strands?

Answer 34

No, it is just a really good estimate of DNA strand lengths

Question 35

Why should you use gloves when using DNA staining solution?

Answer 35

You should use gloves because the DNA staining solution contains Ethidium Bromide, which can cause damage to your DNA cells

Question 36

What is Ethidium Bromide?

Answer 36

Ethidium Bromide is a chemical that binds DNA together and shows up under fluorescent light (you can’t see single DNA strands but large groups of stained DNA)