agarose gel
a jelly-like slab used to separate molecules on the basis of molecular weight
Agarose gel is a type of gel that is commonly used in molecular biology techniques such as gel electrophoresis to separate and analyze DNA fragments of different sizes. It is made from agarose, which is a natural polysaccharide that is extracted from seaweed.
To prepare an agarose gel, the agarose powder is first dissolved in a buffer, such as Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE) or Tris-borate-EDTA (TBE), and then heated to boiling to completely dissolve the agarose. Once the agarose solution has cooled down to a level where it doesn’t burn your hand when touched, it can be poured into a casting tray. The casting tray is usually made of plastic and has a comb at one end, which creates wells into which the DNA samples are loaded.
Once the agarose gel has solidified, the comb is removed, and the wells filled with a DNA sample mixed with a loading buffer. Next, an electric current is applied to the gel through an apparatus called an electrophoresis chamber, which causes the negatively charged DNA molecules to move through the agarose matrix towards the positively charged electrode. The movement of the DNA fragments is dependent on their size with smaller fragments moving faster and farther than larger ones.
Once the electrophoresis run is complete, the DNA can be visualized using a dye such as ethidium bromide or other specific dyes that can bind with the DNA. Under UV light, the DNA bands will be visible, and its approximate size can be estimated by comparing it to a DNA ladder, which contains fragments of known size.
In conclusion, agarose gel is a useful tool in molecular biology that allows for the separation and analysis of DNA fragments of different sizes.
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Understanding DNA Ladders for Accurate Sizing of DNA Fragments in Gel Electrophoresis.