1. GEL ELECTROPHORESIS
By: Darcy Fahey

2. What is Gel Electrophoresis?
 This technique is used to detect or isolate molecules
of a particular size from a mixture of nucleic acids or
protein.
 Process for separating DNA fragments
 Type of DNA fingerprinting
www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gel-electrophoresis.htm

4. What has it been used for?
 Tracking criminals.
 Preventing future diseases or
hereditary diseases.
 Providing paternity/ species
information

5. Procedure
 Chop DNA fragments close to the
Variable Number Tandem Repeat
(VNTR) regions.
 Put into gel block (agarose)
 Heated on paper to separate into
two strands
 Complementary probes have a
radioactive phosphorous isotope
and are paired
 Placed on X-Ray film

6. Pros Vs. Cons
PRO CON
 DNA can be  Time Consuming
detected  Expensive
regardless of  Dangerous
size
 Civil rights
 Only a small
amount of
starting DNA
needed

7. History
 1930s – first report of sucrose for gel
electrophoresis discovered
 1959 –accurate control of parameters
such as pore size and stability
(Raymond and Weintraub)
 1969 – introduction of denaturing agents
especially SDS separation of protein
subunit (Weber and Osborn)
 1970s – agarose gels
 1983 – pulsed field gel electrophoresis
enables separation of large DNA
molecules
 1983 – introduction of capillary
electrophoresis (vein)

8. Cool Sites 
 I read through a really long article , but it was
extremely helpful!
 http://www.ias.ac.in/sadhana/Pdf2009Aug/57
3.pdf
 This one is much shorter!
 http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/gene
tics/biotech/gels/principles.html