Gel electrophoresis

Front

What is gel electrophoresis?

Back

A laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge.

Front

What is the principle behind gel electrophoresis?

Back

Molecules are pulled through a gel matrix by an electric field, with smaller molecules moving faster than larger ones.

Front

What is the role of agarose gel in gel electrophoresis?

Back

Agarose gel acts as a medium that allows the separation of DNA fragments based on size.

Front

How does the size of DNA fragments affect their movement in gel electrophoresis?

Back

Smaller DNA fragments move faster and travel further through the gel than larger fragments.

Front

What is the purpose of adding restriction enzymes to DNA before gel electrophoresis?

Back

Restriction enzymes cut DNA into smaller fragments, allowing for analysis of specific regions.

Front

What is a DNA ladder in gel electrophoresis?

Back

A DNA ladder is a mixture of known DNA fragments used as a reference to determine the size of unknown DNA fragments.

Front

What is the significance of the negative and positive electrodes in gel electrophoresis?

Back

DNA is negatively charged, so it moves towards the positive electrode when an electric current is applied.

Front

What can gel electrophoresis be used for in forensic science?

Back

It can be used to compare DNA samples from crime scenes to identify suspects.

Front

What is the difference between agarose gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis?

Back

Agarose gel is used for larger DNA fragments, while polyacrylamide gel is used for smaller fragments and proteins.

Front

What is the purpose of staining the gel after electrophoresis?

Back

Staining allows visualization of the separated DNA bands under UV light.