Francisco J. Fuster

804-10-2676

February 17-19, 2011

UNC Workshop summary:

In this period of three days, the graduate class from the University of North Carolina

made us understand how important the DNA molecule is. At first they gave us briefings

that made us understand the complexity behind these versatile molecules. The truth is

that DNA programs for every process that any organism goes through in order to live.

The first lab was pretty simple, we extracted our own DNA using household materials.

We were able to visualize the molecule because the salt present in the gatorade

adhered to the molecule and added thickness which made it visible. The second lab

was PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Here the DNA molecule is replicated in massive

quantities in orders to study it. The integration of primers, allow us to separate a specific

gene or sequence to add to the wonders of the PCR. The addition of the Taq

polymerase is what actually made this procedure possible because it can work at high

temperatures. In the third lab we used a technique called electrophoresis in order to

detect and determine the length of the DNA molecule. Since the DNA molecule is

negatively charged, then it travels through the pores in the agarose gel up to a certain

distance. According to the distance traveled is the size of the DNA molecule. The fourth

lab consisted of a major method called western blotting that will help us detect proteins.

We also use electrophoresis in the lab, but a dye was added to the mixture that reacts

when it adheres to protein by giving off fluorescence. The last lab was with the use of

the gfp (green fluorescent protein) gene. We used macrophages that ate the bacteria

expressing the gfp gene to later observe them in the microscope to see the light being

emitted. The membranes of the macrophages were stained in order to locate them in

the microscope.

What I Learned:

In this lab I finally understood the importance there is in PCR. I also learned that the

agarose gel has pores in it that allow the molecule being studied to travel through. The

distance traveled is according to the size, meaning that the bigger molecules stay closer

to the origin than the smaller ones.