What Are the Steps in Gel Electrophoresis?
Quick Answer
Gel electrophoresis is a process of separating bio molecules of different sizes by running them through a sievelike matrix using electricity. The larger molecules move more slowly, while smaller molecules slip through the matrix and move faster and farther, thus separating the different fragments based on size.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
The first step to gel electrophoresis is to set the gel matrix. Agarose is used to separate DNA molecules, and acrylamide is used to separate proteins. The gel starts off as a liquid, which is poured into a molding tray. A comb is placed in the liquid matrix so that when the matrix solidifies, wells are formed to load samples in them. Once the gel has solidified, it is removed from the mold and placed in a special apparatus where current can be applied. A buffer that can act as a conductor of electricity is poured around the matrix.
The samples of bio molecules are usually mixed with a substance of high density (a viscous dye) so that they sink to the bottom of the well instead of floating away in the buffer. The dye also helps track the progress of the experiment. Each sample is loaded in a separate well. One of the wells is usually assigned for loading a marker, which has a set of fragments whose sizes are already known in order to allow for comparison with the samples being loaded.
When the current is switched on, the samples tend to move towards the positively charged side of the apparatus since the phosphate backbones of the molecules confer a negative charge on them. After the samples have run a sufficient distance, the matrix is studied to view the bands that are formed by the separation of the molecules.
Learn more about Molecular Biology & DNARelated Questions
-
Q:
What Is the Sanger Method?
A: The Sanger method is a technique for sequencing DNA that uses dideoxynucleotides to make short DNA sequences of different lengths that can be read out in o... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How Does Molecular Size Affect Diffusion Rate?
A: Diffusion rates are dependent on molecular sizes because larger molecules diffuse slower than smaller molecules. The sizes of the particles involved in the... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the Result of the Replication of One Molecule of DNA?
A: The process of DNA replication takes one parental DNA molecule and creates two daughter DNA molecules. This process occurs in the nucleus of the cell and o... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the Process by Which DNA Makes an Exact Copy of Itself?
A: The process in which DNA makes an exact copy of itself is known as DNA replication and occurs through many steps during cellular replication. The process i... Full Answer >Filed Under:
