DNA / RNA Gels

DNA and RNA electrophoresis gels are used in molecular biology to separate DNA or RNA by size and charge. Nucleic acids ranging from 50 bp up to 20 Kb can be separated using this technique. These gels are staple components in molecular biology workflows, such as PCR, cloning, and nucleic acid blotting. Gels made with unmodified agarose are perhaps the most well-known variety, but other types also exist, such as hydroxyethylated agarose gels and TBE-based polyacrylamide gels. Agarose is a polysaccharide that is dissolved and heated to form gels in concentrations usually ranging from 0.7 to 2 percent. Agarose gels are less toxic and have a large pore size, making it suitable for routine electrophoresis of larger nucleic acid fragments. TBE gels are solidified polyacrylamide gels formulated with tris base, boric acid and EDTA. TBE Urea gels contain urea as an additional component. TBE acts as a nucleic acid buffer and provides a higher resolution than agarose gels, but is more suitable for shorter fragments. Pre-cast, ready-to-use electrophoresis gels are ideal to save time while producing high-quality, uniform results. These gels are generally available in both horizontal and vertical orientations.