Erin Shafer Ap Biology 2/18/14 Lab Report Gel Electrophoresis Lab

Introduction Students from Jackson High and Springport High collaborated together at Camp McGregor to scientifically evaluate a gel electrophoresis lab. Students were instructed and given materials to practice the experiment before the actual test and were put to work to construct the experiment themselves. The goal objectively was to find the DNA strands. Our hypothesis being tested was using different chemicals going through electrophoresis to discover different strand lengths ranging from small to large to long to short. Methods Materials that were gathered were: A buffer, comb, pipette, the box, the sample DNAs, pipette tips, and the spinner. For the start of the experiment you have to make the gel. Once the gel is made you put it in the microwave to make the gel and mix it. Once the gel is done we take it out of the microwave and pour it into the mold. We placed the comb into the gel. The notches in the comb hold it in place. Let the gel cool. Our group let the gel sit for an hour. The real process takes about 24 hours but with the field trip being a day we had to cut it down. Tiny holes formed as the gel cooled and after the hour was up we removed the comb and noticed the small wells for the DNA samples to go into. We then placed the gel into the box. Using the loading buffer, the tubes of DNA samples, the electrophoresis box, and the pipette tips you are now ready to load the DNA samples into the gel. Add some loading buffer to the DNA samples. This contains a dye so its easier to see as well as making the gel thicker. Next, we used the micropipetter to transfer the DNA samples into the wells of the gel. We transferred all the samples (A, B, C, D) into the gel. Last we hooked the electric current and ran the gel. Results Short DNA strands moved through the holes in the gel more quickly than long strands. And over time short strands will move farther from the starting point than the longer strands. Different samples moved better than others and as a group we got to see how the process worked.

Discussion We talked as a group and analyzed our different samples. (A, B, C, D) We noticed that different strands were different lengths and widths. We analyzed this under the lights.

Conclusion Overall on the field trip we learned to conduct an experiment and follow all the steps and procedures in order for it to work. The groups practiced with the materials and then analyzed the results. Different strand lengths and widths were discovered under the light and we got to understand how different substances triggered that.