Lab: Electrophoresis II

Restriction Enzymes

Proteins that cut DNA at specific palindromic sequences, creating fragments analyzed in electrophoresis to visualize DNA patterns.

Palindromes

DNA sequences read identically on both strands, often targeted by restriction enzymes, resulting in fragments for electrophoresis.

Sequence

The specific order of nucleotides in DNA,

amplified in PCR and visualized as distinct bands in

electrophoresis.

Polymorphism

Variations in DNA sequences that

produce different fragment patterns after restriction

enzyme digestion, distinguishable in electrophoresis.

Restriction Site

Specific DNA locations recognized by

restriction enzymes for cutting, generating fragments

analyzed through electrophoresis.

RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length

Polymorphism)

Technique that reveals DNA variations

by fragmenting DNA with enzymes and separating

fragments by electrophoresis.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

A method to amplify DNA sequences, generating large quantities for analysis.

Denaturation

Is in a PCR: Separating DNA strands.

Annealing

Is in a PCR: Binding primers to target sequences.

Extension

Is in a PCR: Taq polymerase builds new DNA strands.

Taq Polymerase

An enzyme used in PCR to

synthesize DNA at high temperatures, enabling rapid

amplification.

DNA Ladder

A reference of DNA fragment sizes in

electrophoresis, used to estimate sizes of PCR or

restriction enzyme-digested fragments.

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects bacteria,

sometimes used as a vector to introduce DNA

sequences for amplification and analysis in molecular

biology.