Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

*(KA Longo, 1/01)

• 1. Assemble gel plate and comb in the gel box, and pour enough molten agarose into the apparatus until it is about 8 mm deep. Allow to cool and harden for 20-30 minutes.

  2. Reposition the gel plate (with gel intact) inthe gel box to facilitate electrophoresis, and add enough 1 x TAE to immerse the gel.

  3. Add the proper volume of 6 x Loading buffer to your DNA samples, mix thoroughly, and spin briefly.

  4. Load your samples in the gel wells, including a molecular weight standard.

  5. Run your gel at constant voltage, 120-160 volts, for 30-60 minutes.

  6. Power down and remove the gel.

  7. DNA in the gel can now be visualized using a UV light source. A picture should betaken to document your experiment.

  8. Clean-up:

     • Dump the waste TAE buffer into the sink.

     • Rinse the gel box and plate with tap and distilled water. When the aparatus is dry, return it to the drawer.

     • Dispose of your gel in the ethidium bromide waste bucket.