Introduction to Gel Electrophoresis

Outline How to prepare a gel How to micropipet Practice setting up electrophoresis Discussion viewing of gel In a later lab you will view and photograph your results

Agarose is weighed out

Agarose is diluted and boiled in buffer solution

Agarose solution is poured into gel holder This is a “comb”

Notice the “sample wells” Agarose cools and solidifies Notice the “sample wells” comb

Next: How to pipet into the sample well

Select either a 100 or 200 ul micropipet from your lab station (1000 ul= 1 ml) Set at 25 ul Place on a yellow tip

Push plunger to “first stop” Place tip in solution Aspirate sample by releasing plunger

Carefully place the tip of the micropipet just inside the well Dispense solution by pushing to second stop Release tip by “ejection button”

Gel and samples are subjected to electric current

Samples migrate through the gel at different rates Negative electrode Positive electrode

View your DNA samples with UV light Bio 22

Photograph the results