Fredrick Griffith showed in 1928 that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic material of the cell. His work was unique because it was the first evidence that showed that DNA is the genetic material of the cell. Other scientists that also carried out experiments to establish that DNA is the genetic material include Oswald Avery, […]
Bacterial Transformation (The Transforming Principle) Read More »
Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
An understanding of the nucleic acid molecules which include deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) important for us to understand the molecular and/or genetic basis of life. Nucleic acid molecules are found in all living organisms as the carriers of genetic materials from parent organisms to their offspring’s. With the exception of viruses (which
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
Proteins are a group of polypeptides that form a molecule of specific biological function; and they comprises mainly of amino acid sequences that are held together by a special type of covalent bonds known as peptide bonds. They are macromolecules that consist of long chains of amino acids held together in structural forms known as
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
Purines are heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that consist of a pyrimidine ring fused to an imidazole ring. Purines are the larger of the two types of bases found in DNA. Adenine (A) and guanine (G) are purines. Adenine is always paired with thymine, and guanine is always paired with cytosine. Purines unlike pyrimidines (which have
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
Nucleotides are nucleosides with one or more phosphate groups covalently attached to the 3′ or 5′-hydroxyl group(s) (OH–) of a pentose sugar. A nucleoside is one of the four (4) DNA bases (i.e. adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine) covalently attached to the carbon-one (C1) position of a sugar molecule such as the pentose sugar. Deoxyribose
Thermocycler or thermal cycler is a piece of equipment is used for the copying or amplification of specific sequences of nucleotides through a controlled timing and temperature regulation. It is an important tool in the molecular biology laboratory. Thermocycler allows reaction mixtures in specialized tubes known as Eppendorf tubes (PCR tubes) to be heated and
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
The Isolation of Genomic DNA from the bacterium, Escherichia coli is explained in this section Aim of the experiment: To isolate the genomic DNA from Escherichia coli DH5α cells. PRINCIPLE OF THE EXPERIMENT The isolation and purification of DNA from cells is one of the most common procedures in contemporary molecular biology and embodies a transition
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
When phenol or a mixture of phenol:chloroform is mixed with a cell Lysate, two phases form: an aqueous and an organic phase. The polar DNA partitions into the polar or “aqueous phase”, and denatured proteins and other cellular debris partition into the organic phase. Salts are thought to dehydrate proteins, causing them to become less
WAYS TO SEPARATE DNA FROM OTHER CELLULAR MATERIALS: BINDING AND WASHING Read More »
Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology
The integrity, purity and concentration of the RNA so isolated should be confirmed before proceeding to the next stage of the experiment. This is critical because it will help the researcher to know the amount of RNA he or she is working with, as well as ascertain its purity and integrity. And in this way,
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Biotechnology uses the tools of molecular biology (i.e. genetic engineering) to produce novel products through the sole manipulation and modification of the genes and gene products of living systems including microorganisms. It borrows scientific expertise from a wide array of disciplines including but not limited to biochemistry, biology, genetics, chemistry, microbiology and molecular biology. Microbial
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology