Gel electrophoresis
Step-by-step explanation:
Physical property which determines how the DNA moves the gel is its size
- Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate DNA fragments based on their size and charge
- Electrophoresis involves running a current through a gel containing the molecules of interest
- Based on their size and charge, the molecules will travel through the gel in different directions or at different speeds, allowing them to be separated from one another
- Gels for DNA separation are often made out of a polysaccharide called agarose, which comes as dry, powdered flakes
- When the agarose is heated in a buffer and allowed to cool, it will form a solid, slightly squishy gel
- As the gel runs, shorter pieces of DNA will travel through the pores of the gel matrix faster than longer ones
- After the gel has run for awhile, the shortest pieces of DNA will be close to the positive end of the gel, while the longest pieces of DNA will remain near the wells