Lab Report: Biotechnology
Part 1: Gel Electrophoresis
Directions: Go to the DNA Interactive website. Click on the “Manipulation”
link on the left side of the page. Next, click on the “Techniques” button at
the bottom of this page. At the top, you will need to click on the technique
called, “cutting and pasting.” Be sure to review this section.
After completing that, go back to the “Techniques” page and click on
“sorting and sequencing”. Here you will watch an animation over gel
electrophoresis.
To begin the lab, you must go to the virtual lab at the University of Utah:
Genetic Science Learning Center website. Complete the activity and answer
the question below.
1. It took him eight years and more than 10,000 pea plants to discover the
laws of inheritance:
Part 2: Solving the Mystery with Gel Electrophoresis
Directions: Go to the virtual lab created by NOVA called Create a DNA
Fingerprint. You will click on the “View” button to being the interactive
activity. Use this activity to answer the questions below. Type your
answers after each question.
1. Which one of Jimmy’s sisters is guilty?
2. How does the process of gel electrophoresis separate DNA fragments?
3. What is the purpose of the agarose gel?
4. What is the purpose of adding blue “tracking” dye to the DNA samples?
5. Explain why DNA has an overall negative charge.
6. Why is the fact that DNA has a negative charge so important in the gel
electrophoresis process?
7. Explain how an agarose gel can separate DNA fragments of different
lengths.
8. What is the purpose of ethidium bromide?
9. Why is a marker used when running the fragments through the gel?
10. What is a restriction map?
Part 3
Directions: Use the gel picture below to answer questions 12 and 13.
12. Which band (1-10) traveled slowest?
13. Which band (1-10) traveled fastest?
Part 4
Directions: Go to the DNA Interactive website. Click on the “Applications”
link on the left side of the page. At the bottom of this page, click on
“Human Identification”. Read the information and provide two applications
for DNA fingerprinting below.
Two applications for DNA fingerprinting:
1. Application 1 –
2. Application 2 –
Part 5
Directions: Go to the DNA Interactive website. Click on the “Applications”
link on the left side of the page. At the bottom of the page, click on “Genes
and Medicine”. Read the information and provide three applications of DNA
for human health.
Three applications of DNA for human health:
1. Application 1 2. Application 2 3. Application 3 -