Question

What is ethidium bromide used for in gel
electrophoresis?

Answer 1

any ideas?

Answer 2

what do you think it is?

Answer 3

My teacher gave me a website to study, but it didn't say what ethidium bromide was used for.

Answer 4

I really don't know.

Answer 5

let me see the website hun :)

Answer 6

This is it: http://www.dnai.org/b/index.html .

Answer 7

@emmigrace222 ?

Answer 8

ok let me look
:)

Answer 9

oh my wow! that web site is confusing!

Answer 10

@strawberryswing

Answer 11

@Ashleyisakitty ?

Answer 12

@Somy ?

Answer 13

Ethidium bromide is used in gel electrophoresis to detect nucleic acids, usually in DNA. The Ethidium bromide emits a light detectable in ultraviolet lighting. This helps to determine the structural integrity of chromosomes.

Answer 14

Thanks, @Ashleyisakitty !

Answer 15

No problem. :~)

Answer 16

One more question, @Ashleyisakitty .

Answer 17

Why is a marker used when running the DNA fragments through the gel?

Answer 18

@shrutipande9 ?

Answer 19

The markers are of a specific size (in numbers of base pairs). By comparing the rates of migration of the various markers with the rates of migration of the gene/genes you are separating, you can get an estimate of the size of the fragments you are interested in. They also let you know if you need more or less separation. If the smaller fragments run off of the gel, you'll know that you need to run if for a shorter time or with a smaller voltage.

Answer 20

I didn't really understand that.

Answer 21

as correctlt told by ashley....ethidium binds to dna to be specific nucleic acids nonspecifically and shows luminiscence in ultraviolet light. so when u run ur gel...u see uptil where ur sample containing nucleic acid has run

Answer 22

OK, what about the second question about the marker? Is there any animation that would explain it so I can see it?

Answer 23

@shrutipande9 ?

Answer 24

umm i dnt know about the animation...but soph has explained correctly....see when u run a gel..ur sample contains for eg dna. and u want to know the size of the dna. if u want to measure size of a rod what u do is take a scale and measure it. this marker acts as a scale. there are fragments of dna in the marker sample of specific size which run upto a certain extent only in the gel. so by running the marker sample u make ur own scale. now check ur dna sample. see it is near to which mark so that u can know the size of ur sample.

Answer 25

Ok, now I understand, Thanks! :)

Answer 26

:)