Gel Electrophoresis

What size range of DNA fragments can be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis?

• 50 to 2,500 basepairs

• 500 to 25,000 basepairs

• 5,000 to 250,000 basepairs

• 50,000 to 2,500,000 basepairs

What is the purpose of using staining media in Step 5 of the gel electrophoresis process?

• To separate the DNA bands

• To visualize the DNA bands

• To amplify the DNA

• To dissolve the gel

What properties does gel electrophoresis use to separate molecules?

• Color, taste, and smell

• Charge, shape, and/or size

• Density, solubility, and reactivity

• Mass, volume, and weight

What is the purpose of electrophoresis?

• To heat biological molecules

• To use electricity to separate molecules

• To freeze biological molecules

• To change the chemical structure of molecules

What determines the speed at which DNA fragments move through the gel?

• The size of the gel

• The strength of the electric current

• The size of the DNA fragments

• The color of the DNA-binding dye

How does agarose gel electrophoresis separate DNA fragments?

• By denaturing the DNA strands

• By acting as a molecular strainer where smaller fragments move through the pores easier than large fragments

• By amplifying the DNA fragments

• By attaching to specific DNA sequences

What is the first step in preparing the gel for electrophoresis?

• Chill the gel in a refrigerator

• Make the desired concentration of agarose solution and pour into the mold with the comb

• Heat the gel to a boiling point

• Add dye to the gel

Why do DNA fragments move through the gel during electrophoresis?

• They are positively charged and move towards the negative electrode (anode)

• They are negatively charged and move towards the negative electrode (anode)

• They are negatively charged and move towards the positive electrode (cathode)

• They move randomly through the gel

Where are DNA samples loaded for gel electrophoresis?

• At the bottom of a gel

• Into wells at one end of a gel

• Directly into the gel matrix

• On top of the gel

What is agarose?

• A protein derived from animals

• A lipid found in plants

• A carbohydrate derived from seaweed

• A nucleic acid found in bacteria