Unit 11- Gel Electrophoresis for GMO Analysis and Garlic Root Mitosis

Materials used to make DNA gel for electrophoresis

0.6 g of agarose power

30 ml of 1x TAE buffer

microwave 20 sec

During gel electrophoresis, DNA fragments are separated based on

their size (lengths in pairs)

The overall charge of a DNA molecule is

negative

Describe how wells are made

using a comb during the gel casting process

Describe which end of the gel will have larger or smaller DNA fragments

smaller fragments are found near the bottom (positive end)

larger fragments are found near the top (negative end)

Recall the stain used to visualize the DNA fragments in the gel

is ethidium bromide.

Describe the color and purpose of the DNA loading dye

typically blue or purple to help visualize the progress of the gel electrophoresis.

Explain what a molecular mass ruler/DNA ladder is and why it is used

A DNA ladder is a set of known DNA fragment sizes used as a reference to estimate the size of DNA fragments in gel electrophoresis.

Discuss the purpose of the no DNA control, the non-GMO, and GMO positive control

no DNA control - should have no bands

non-GMO control- only plant gene band

GMO positive control- both plant gene & GMO bands

Describe cell cycle, interphase, mitotic phase, mitosis, and cytokinesis

cell cycle- the life of a cell, from when it’s made to when it divides

interphase- the cell grows and makes a copy of its DNA

mitotic phase- the cell gets ready to split

mitosis- the cells nucleus and DNA divide

cytokinesis- the cell splits into 2 new cells

Describe G1, S, G2 phases of interphase as wells as the G0 phase

G1- the cell grows and does its normal job

s phase- the cell copies its DNA

G2- the cell grows more and gets ready to divide

G0- the cell rest and doesn’t divide

Recall the stain used to stain the dividing garlic root tip cells.

acetocarmine