Gel loading dye is typically made at 6X concentration (0.25% bromphenol blue, 0.25% xylene cyanol, 30% glycerol). Samples are prepared for electrophoresis by mixing them with loading dyes. The most common gel running buffers are TAE (40 mM Tris-acetate, 1 mM EDTA) and TBE (45 mM Tris-borate, 1 mM EDTA). The volume of the buffer should not be greater than 1/3 of the electrophoresis chamber. A solidified agarose gel after removal of the comb (Image Source: Ref-1)Īfter the gel solidifies, the gel is submerged in a buffer-filled electrophoresis chamber which contains a positive electrode (anode) at one end, and a negative electrode (cathode) at the other. A well-former template (often called a comb) is placed across the end of the casting tray to form wells when the gel solution solidifies. The concentration of agarose in a gel depends on the sizes of the DNA fragments to be separated, with most gels ranging between 0.5%-2%. The solution is then cooled to approximately 55☌ and poured into a casting tray which serves as a mold. The centerpiece of agarose gel electrophoresis is the horizontal gel electrophoresis apparatus. The gel is made by dissolving agarose powder in boiling buffer solution. Procedure Preparation of Agarose gel matrix Within a range, the higher the applied voltage, the faster the samples migrate. Mobility of DNA molecule is also affected by the applied voltage. This means that the smaller the linear fragment, the faster it migrates through the gel. The migration rate of linear fragments of DNA is inversely proportional to the log 10 of their size in base pairs. plasmid DNA) moves faster through gel compared with linear DNA fragment of the same size. DNA conformationĭifferent forms of DNA move through the gel at different rates DNA molecules having a more compact shape (e.g. If the size of the two fragments is similar or identical, they will migrate together in the gel. The separation occurs because smaller molecules pass through the pores of the gel more easily than larger ones. The sieving properties of the agarose gel influence the rate at which a molecule migrates. However, some experiments require agarose gels with a higher percentage, such as 1% or 1.5%. The most common agarose gel concentration for separating dyes or DNA fragments is 0.8%. Higher percentage gels are sturdier and easier to handle but the mobility of molecules and staining will take longer because of the tighter matrix of the gel. The mobility of DNA molecule is inversely proportional to gel concentration.