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DNA Gels

  • A DNA gel can be kept in liquid for a few hours after preparation but it is better not to use it after a night in liquid as the gel-red diffuses out and the signal becomes less clear. If you need to use it the next day, then you can wrap it in clingfilm (saran wrap) and store it in the fridge.

  • Remove agarose gel from the plastic tray for imaging unless it is the original tray (with the rubbers in the edge); in that case either way works.

  • Make sure to leave the sink and bottle clean after you pour your DNA gel leftovers. Clean the bottle with a brush.

  • When done with the tray of the gel imager, always wipe with kimwipes (NOT paper towels so as not to leave small debris) to remove small pieces of gel and avoid the accumulation of salts from the dried TAE.

note
  • After imaging, please transfer the images from the shared folder in Dropbox to your own folder, to free up space. The whole folder is 2GB and gets clogged up if you don’t move your images.

If the agar bits are really stuck, fill the bottle with water and heat it in the microwave to dissolve the bits. When preparing the agarose gel, it is very important to cool the gel down before adding and pouring the gel in the plastic tray, both to avoid Gel-Red fumes and to prevent disforming the plastic tray.

  • It is sufficient to put max 3ul of ladder, no need for bigger amounts.