SREL DNA Lab
Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis

Refining P.F.G.E. technology
to detect genotoxic effects in bass
 

Research project cooperators

        SREL staff/faculty:    Lucy Dueck, Heather Brant,
                                            John Peles, Tom Philippi, Travis Glenn
        SREL students:         Holly Quillen, Caroline Hoffman

Overview

Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) is a technique used to separate especially long strands of DNA by length in order to tell differences among samples.  It operates by alternating electric fields to run DNA through a flat gel matrix of agarose (see diagram).  Specialized equipment is required, consisting of a gel rig with clamped electrodes in a hexagonal design, a chiller and pump, and programmable power supply (see photos).  PFGE has traditionally been used for gene mapping and medical epidemiology, but we've been adapting it to test for DNA strand breakage caused by genotoxicants in largemouth bass and other animals.  Click on buttons below to follow our project.