What is gel electrophoresis ? It is simply used to separate macromolecules like DNA, RNA and proteins. Scientist use electrophoresis whenever they need to sort DNA strands by length. Its also used for seperating other types of molecules like proteins. The gel that seperates the DNA strands is made of of a jell-o type sponge with small holes. Using an electric field, DNA can be made to move through a gel.The electric field consists of a negative charge at one end which pushes the molecules through the gel, and a positive charge at the other end that pulls the molecules through the gel.
The term electrophoresis is what is use to pull the DNA strands through the gel filter. Short strands move through the gel more quickly because they are smaller. DNA strands of the same length will move at the same speed and end up grouping together. The first step into going in the lab with electrophoresis is to get al the suppiles that you will need and they are , powered agarose, buffer, a flask, the gel mold and the gel comb. Put a small amouth of argrouse into the flask that you are using add some liquid buffer also to the flask. The buffer helps the the electric charges flow through the gel. Then place to mixture into the microwavw so that the agarose melts with the buffer. Then after that you wil pour the melted agarose into the mold. Get the gel comb and place it at one in so that you can remove the comb after about an hour and the experiment will be already to start. The second step into the process is seeting up the electrophoresis box.Pour some buffer into the box with the gel still in the mold. After all of that you are ready to load the DNA sample into the gel. Put a small amouth of buffe into a DNA smaple that is going in your electrophoresis box. The third step is to put some buffer is put into the DNA because it contains a dye that when its put into the DNA you'll be able to see the molecules of the DNA. Then take some of the DNA into a pipette and place it into the well of the gel. Your going to eject some of the DNA into the first well of the gel. Then you would want to take some DNA size standard soultion and place that in the next empty well. The DNA size standard contains DNA strands of known lengths.
The fourth step is to turn on your electricity and run the gel through the current. DNA has a negative charge so use the black cord becaue its negative. Check for tiny bubbles
