LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate DNA fragments according to their size.

Detailed explanation-2: -In the laboratory, restriction enzymes (or restriction endonucleases) are used to cut DNA into smaller fragments. The cuts are always made at specific nucleotide sequences.

Detailed explanation-3: -To separate DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA is loaded into pre-cast wells in the gel and a current applied. The phosphate backbone of the DNA (and RNA) molecule is negatively charged, therefore when placed in an electric field, DNA fragments will migrate to the positively charged anode.

Detailed explanation-4: -Gel electrophoresis is most commonly used for separation and purification of proteins and nucleic acids that differ in size, charge, or conformation. The gel is composed of polyacrylamide or agarose. Agarose is appropriate for separating DNA fragments ranging in size from a few hundred base pairs to about 20 kb.