In this video, Dan shows you how to disassemble your SDS-PAGE gel, and how to stain it using PageBlue, Coomassie, or Silver Staining.

Coomassie is the older method of staining, and gives bright blue bands on the gel. PageBlue is similar, but provides a quicker alternative. If you have faint bands and require a more sensitive method, you can use Silver Staining.

Choose whatever method you need, but beware of the hazardous materials that may be used.

Watch these videos first:

- How to Make an SDS-PAGE gel
- How to Run an SDS-PAGE gel

Got leaky gels? This video will help:

- How to Avoid a Leaky SDS-PAGE gel

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From all of us, we wish you all the best in 2011!

LabTricks team

Remember to use the various show/hide buttons to really test your knowledge of the pathways!

Here’s a screenshot of what OMLeT looks like when you hide everything except enzyme names:

Come check out the Health and Movies presentation on November 25th from 3:00-4:00pm where the winners of the Gene Screen BC competition will present short entertaining films about genomics. That includes our film Sequence Me.

Don’t miss this great FREE event! Click here to see the full schedule of presentations.

We took a break from making serious videos and answering all of your emails to create a fun Halloween video. This is what happens when you give grad students a pumpkin: you get one nerdy jack-o-lantern.

If you’re not familiar with protein structure, this pumpkin has been carved to look like a beta-barrel protein. Ideally, we would have preferred to work with a taller and more narrow pumpkin to make it look more accurate, but we worked with what we had.

Beta-barrel proteins are made of beta-strands that are arranged in an anti-parallel orientation with loops and turns connecting them together. They are usually found in cell membranes, as well as membranes of some organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts. Because of their unique structure, they can function as pores to allow the transport of molecules across membranes.

Got a nerdy pumpkin of your own? Let us know, or share in the comments below!

Want to participate in next year’s competition? Click here to go the Gene Screen BC website. Good luck =)

Summary:
Set in the future when sequencing technology is readily available to the public, this short film follows the journey of a young man who decides to sequence his genome after his sister dies of a genetic disorder. We see the complexity of making this decision as he must choose exactly what he wants to find out about his genome, and in how much detail. However, once a genetic profile is compiled, life can become more difficult with this extra burden of knowledge. In this film, our protagonist learns to overcome this hurdle by creating a new friendship and changing his lifestyle to help maintain a longer and happier life.

Promo for our entry for the Gene Screen BC 2010 competition.

Here’s a brief synopsis:
Set in the future when sequencing technology is readily available to the public, this short film follows the journey of a young man who decides to sequence his genome after his sister dies of a genetic disorder. We see the complexity of making this decision as he must choose exactly what he wants to find out about his genome, and in how much detail. However, once a genetic profile is compiled, life can become more difficult with this extra burden of knowledge. In this film, our protagonist learns to overcome this hurdle by creating a new friendship and changing his lifestyle to help maintain a longer and happier life.

Thank you everyone!

Please watch and vote for our video: http://www.scivee.tv/node/20924
(you will need to create an account before rating)

If you have lots of sample to load on the gel, and not a big enough well, you have to load into multiple wells. This means that you will have to cut out multiple bands, and still be careful to remove all the excess agarose.

A better approach is to use a comb that will make wider wells. Don’t have a big comb? Don’t worry, Dan will show you how to make one using just your standard comb and some tape.

Note:
-the DNA being transformed can either be purified plasmid, or your ligation product
-the amount of plasmid you add will depend on its concentration
-the media that you use may be different (here Dan uses LB)

REMEMBER:
keep the competent cells on ice! And DO NOT vortex or pipette up and down when you add the DNA to the cells.

[scroll down to see a recap of the steps for transformation]

Transformation Recap:

1. Add plasmid/ligation to competent cells. Swirl gently.
2. Incubate on ice for 30 minutes
3. Heat shock at ~42 degrees C for ~ 45 seconds
4. Incubate on ice for 2 minutes.
5. Add media
6. Shake at 37 degrees C for 1 hour
7. Plate the cells. Then incubate plates at 37 degrees overnight.
8. See colonies the next day! =D