Crime Scenes Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Essay - 1467 Words

As seen on many crime shows and in real-life crime scenes, it is necessary to be able to identify DNA. Most of the time, this is done using a technique known as gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a method used to separate the macromolecules that make up nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, along with proteins. Gel electrophoresis is significant because it has given scientists insight on what cells cause certain diseases and has led to advancements in DNA and fingerprint identification. My experiment will use gel electrophoresis to compare the separation of food dye in different agarose concentrations. The background for this experiment includes the following subjects: inventors, real-world uses, necessary components, separation,†¦show more content†¦This theory was formulated in 1970 and is one of the most recent on the topic of gel electrophoresis. The National Academy of Science states, The behavior of macromolecules in gel filtration and gel electrophoresis may b e predicted from Ogstons model for random mesh work of fibers. This model has been generalized to apply to non-spherical molecules and to several gel types. The theory defines conditions for optimal separation and optimal resolution in gel electrophoresis and gel filtration (Unified Theory for Gel Electrophoresis and Gel Filtration). There are a few components that compose a gel electrophoresis chamber. First of all, there is a chamber used to contain the gel. The gel used in my experiment will be made from agarose. In order to create an electric field, there are positive and negative electrodes attached to a power source. My experiment will use alligator clips as the electrodes and nine-volt batteries as the power source. A buffer solution, in this case a 1% solution of baking soda, submerges the gel to allow the ions to carry through and maintain the stability of the Ph levels. A comb is used to generate wells inside of the gel to hold the samples. The comb will be made of styrofo am (Forensic Science: Building Your Own Tool For Identifying DNA). Proteins, or nucleic acids, are isolated and separated within a gel. The gel is cast in a thin, welled slab. In this particular experiment, the gel will beShow MoreRelatedDNA And Short Tandem Repeats1326 Words   |  6 Pagesanalysis as it allows one to use negligible pieces of DNA such as a splatter of blood for evidence. In order to separate the DNA, the samples must undergo the process of Electrophoresis. The purpose of this lab is to use VNTR length analysis obtained from gel electrophoresis to determine innocence between two potential suspects in a crime. In this lab, evidence DNA and the DNA samples of two different suspects were available. 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Then the chromosomes are broken downRead MoreCrime Scene Samples With Gel Electrophoresis1181 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Suspect DNA to Crime Scene Samples with Gel Electrophoresis Christopher Davis Lab Partners: Jessica Roubert and Aishat Alimi TA: Tam-Anh Phan BSC 2010L Section: 033 November 1, 2014 Materials and Methods Restriction Enzyme Digest and Preparation of the DNA Samples Four microcentrifuge tubes were placed in a rack, labeled and numbered, in order to identify the group and the DNA/restriction enzyme that it held. Each of the tubes initially received 10 microliters of reaction bufferRead MoreThe Crime Scene Of A Virginia Man999 Words   |  4 PagesWhen dealing with other types of evidence such as hairs and fibers, tool marks, video footage, or even a weapon used at a crime scene; it can be challenging connecting the evidence to the suspect or even coming up with a suspect. 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