Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate and analyze DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge. Here's a brief overview of how to analyze gel electrophoresis results:
Use a UV light box in a dark room or with a self-contained light box connected to a camera to visualize agarose gels. With both systems, UV light passes through the gel from below, causing DNA bands to fluoresce due to the intercalating dye bound to them. For documentation, you can capture this fluorescence using a camera equipped with a specialized UV filter.
Marker ladders typically come with a guide indicating the size of each band they contain. You can determine the size of the DNA fragments by comparing these band sizes to the size of the bands in your sample lanes. Additionally, you can also compare the intensity of bands between samples to gauge the relative amounts of DNA present. Brighter bands indicate higher DNA concentrations.
Analyze the bands based on their position and intensity. Bands that are closer to the positive electrode indicate smaller molecules that have migrated much further than the larger molecules. The intensity of the bands reflects the amount of material present.