Iona Prep’s AP biology class recently visited the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor to perform a molecular genetics laboratory exercise called DNA Restriction Analysis.
On Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Iona Prep’s AP biology class visited the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor, NY to perform a molecular genetics laboratory exercise called DNA Restriction Analysis. The discovery of restriction enzymes, the scissors of molecular biologists, allowed for a breakthrough into understanding the genetics of organisms. These enzymes are at the heart of recombinant DNA technology, allowing endless new combinations of DNA to be engineered.
Using two of these restriction enzymes, the students cut DNA from a bacteriophage (virus that infects bacteria) genome. The resulting DNA fragments were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and used as a compasrion to figure out the enzymatic contents of an unknown sample. Today, restriction enzymes and gel electrophoresis are important tools in forensics, genetics, population studies, and biomedical research.