Molecular Biology Techniques: Bacterial Transformation and Gel Electrophoresis

Mr. Anderson guides students through AP Biology Lab 6, focusing on molecular biology. The lab consists of two main parts: bacterial transformation and gel electrophoresis. In bacterial transformation, students learn how to transfer plasmids between E. coli bacteria, enabling them to gain new traits like antibiotic resistance and fluorescence. The second part, gel electrophoresis, involves separating DNA fragments by size using a gel matrix. Students also explore the use of restriction enzymes to cut DNA at specific sites, allowing for detailed analysis of DNA fragments. The lab provides hands-on experience with key molecular biology techniques.

What is the primary focus of molecular biology as discussed in the lab?

• The study of photosynthesis

• The study of proteins and their functions

• The study of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

• The study of cellular respiration

What is the purpose of using the P glow plasmid in bacterial transformation?

• To make bacteria resistant to heat

• To enable bacteria to glow under UV light

• To increase bacterial growth rate

• To change the color of bacteria

Which component is added to the bacterial culture to trigger the production of the glowing protein?

• Lactose

• Glucose

• Sucrose

• Arabinose sugar

What is the role of ampicillin in the bacterial transformation experiment?

• To select for bacteria that have taken up the plasmid

• To increase the temperature of the culture

• To act as a fluorescent marker

• To provide nutrients for bacterial growth

In gel electrophoresis, what determines how far a DNA fragment will migrate?

• The color of the DNA

• The pH of the buffer

• The size of the DNA fragment

• The temperature of the gel

What is the function of restriction enzymes in gel electrophoresis?

• To stain DNA

• To cut DNA at specific sequences

• To replicate DNA

• To amplify DNA

Why are DNA ladders used in gel electrophoresis?

• To provide a reference for DNA fragment sizes

• To increase the speed of DNA migration

• To change the color of the gel

• To prevent DNA degradation

How can you determine the size of an unknown DNA fragment using gel electrophoresis?

• By measuring the color intensity

• By comparing it to a DNA ladder

• By counting the number of fragments

• By observing the shape of the fragment

What is the charge of DNA that causes it to move in gel electrophoresis?

• Variable

• Positive

• Neutral

• Negative

What is the main purpose of using a gel box in electrophoresis?

• To change the pH of the samples

• To heat the DNA samples

• To provide a medium for DNA separation

• To cool the DNA samples