Practice of

Agarose gel
Electrophoresis
Hanh
1. abstract
• a liquid agarose base was used to create a gel base
for an electrophoresis procedure using different
strands of DNA.
• Gel electrophoresis is used to separate
macromolecules into fragments based on their size.
The DNA samples were placed in the wells of the
agarose gel at the negative end, and then had a
current run through them, causing the DNA to travel
a certain length to the positive side through the gel
depending on their size.
• The results were calculated by measuring how far
the strands went through the gel, and then mapped
on a logarithmic graph.
2. Introduction

•This process sorts DNA fragments in order of size

by using electricity run through a gel matrix
(Bowen).
•DNA is made into different sizes through restrictive
enzymes, enzymes that cut DNA into smaller pieces
so that they can be analyzed (Pearson). Once the
DNA is cut, it is stained then inserted into the wells.
When the electricity flows, the DNA is pulled from
the negative side to the positive side because DNA
has a negative charge (Biology Animation Library).
Smaller molecule move more easily while larger
molecules move more slowly through the gel.
• This leads to smaller molecules (and therefore
molecule that have been cut by restriction
enzymes) travel further toward the negative pole
(Biology Animation Library).
3. Procedure
•Sample preparation and loading
•Samples are prepared for electrophoresis by
mixing them with loading dyes. Gel loading
dye is typically made at 6X concentration
(0.25% bromphenol blue, 0.25% xylene
cyanol, 30% glycerol). Loading dyes used in
gel electrophoresis serve three major
purposes:
•add density to the sample, allowing it to sink
into the gel.
•provide color and simplify the loading
process.
•the dyes move at standard rates through the
gel, allowing for the estimation of the
distance that DNA fragments have migrated.
Result and Analysis