Question

What is the purpose of empty wells filled with 1X Laemmli?

1) To act as negative controls
2) To act as positive controls
3) To visualize the protein bands
4) To measure the molecular weight of proteins

Answer 1

Empty wells filled with 1X Laemmli serve as negative controls in SDS-PAGE, providing a baseline for comparisons and helping to detect nonspecific interactions or background noise.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of empty wells filled with 1X Laemmli in a laboratory context such as SDS-PAGE (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) is to act as negative controls. Negative controls are samples that lack the target analyte or substance of interest and are treated the same way as the test samples. They provide a baseline to compare the test samples against and help in identifying any nonspecific interactions or background noise. They do not serve as positive controls, nor are they used to visualize protein bands directly or measure the molecular weight of proteins. Molecular weight markers or standards are used to estimate the size of proteins, and proteins are visualized by using stains such as Coomassie Brilliant Blue or silver staining after the electrophoresis process.