Title:Cutting out DNA fragments from low melt agarose gels
Dept:Agronomy
Lab:Agronomy G313, B411, B406
Supervisor:Randy Shoemaker
1. Know the location of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for all hazardous chemicals used in this procedure (ethidium bromide). Read and become familiar with the safe use of these chemicals. If you have a question or concern regarding health or safety with respect to a specific chemical, consult the laboratory supervisor, or the principal investigator before proceeding.
2. Always wear gloves when handling the agarose gel since it contains ethidium bromide.
3. When using the UV light box, it is a must to wear glasses and a full UV-protective face shield, particularly if you have several fragments to cut out. Failure to wear the shield may result in severe sunburn and damage to the eyes. If a full face shield is unavailable you must wear UV-protective eye glasses and sun block.
4. Be careful with the razor blade or glass cover slip you are using to cut out the bands. The razor blade is sharp and the glass coverslips break easily into sharp pieces.
5. Clean up any agarose which falls on the floor while you are cutting out the bands. Agarose is very slippery and could cause you to fall if stepped on.
