Difference between revisions of "Team:UIUC Illinois/Experiments"
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+ | <h2>A. Using a Lab Notebook</h2> | ||
− | < | + | <ol> |
+ | <li>Always include the date and your initials or signature.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Procedures from previous labs do not have to be rewritten, but should be clearly referenced.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Always Include:<ul> | ||
+ | <li>Any and all calculations</li> | ||
+ | <li>Number of cells seeded</li> | ||
+ | <li>Components of solutions</li> | ||
+ | <li>Type of cells</li> | ||
+ | <li>Type of media</li> | ||
+ | <li>Brand names of solutions used (Invitrogen, Bio-Rad, Promega, etc.)</li> | ||
+ | <li>Observations such as confluency, color of media, etc.</li></ul></li> | ||
+ | <li>Always write directly in the notebook, rather than writing it on a separate sheet and copying it later.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Do no leave large open spaces. If you do, cross these out.</li> | ||
+ | <li>If you cross out text, make sure it is still legible underneath.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Number all pages in the notebook, and do not tear pages out.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Write all entries in ink.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Use original documentation when possible (e.g. machine printout rather than copying data by hand.)</li> | ||
+ | <li>Be thorough! Somebody should be able to repeat your experiments by looking at the lab notebook.</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
− | < | + | <h2>Making LB</h2> |
+ | <ol> | ||
+ | <li>Add 20 g of LB powder to 1 L of water and mix.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Autoclave on a liquid cycle.</li> | ||
+ | <li>If adding antibiotics, wait until the LB has cooled enough to comfortably touch the bottle. Otherwise, the heat will start to break them down.</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
− | < | + | <h2>Pouring plates</h2> |
− | < | + | <ol> |
− | <li> | + | <li>Add 20 g of LB powder and 14 g of agar (NOT agarose) to 1 L of water and mix.</li> |
− | <li> | + | <li>Autoclave on a liquid cycle</li> |
− | <li> | + | <li>Wait until the LB agar has cooled enough to comfortably touch the bottle.</li> |
− | </ | + | <li>If desired, add antibiotics now.</li> |
− | + | <li>Pour 10 - 20 mL of LB agar into each plate. This can be done by eye, but using a pipet-aid will give more consistent results</li> | |
− | + | <li>If any bubbles formed on the surface of your plates, quickly pop them using a pipet tip.</li> | |
− | + | <li>Allow the plates to solidify.</li> | |
− | < | + | <li>Wrap plates in a bag, sleeve, or Parafilm.</li> |
− | < | + | <li>Store upside down at 4 degrees.</li> |
− | <li>< | + | </ol> |
− | <li><a | + | <h2>Transformation</h2> |
− | <li><a | + | <ol> |
− | </ | + | <li>Take competent cells out of freezer and thaw on ice for 20-30 minutes. Take only as many as you need; they lose competency if re-frozen.</li> |
− | </ | + | <li>Take agar plates out of storage and allow them to warm up to room temperature.</li> |
+ | <li>Add 10 pg to 100 ng of DNA (usually about 1-5 uL depending on concentration) to 20 - 50 uL of competent cells.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Mix tubes by gently flicking.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Place tubes back on ice for 20-30 minutes.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Heat shock transformation by placing it in 42 degree C water bath for 45 seconds.</li> | ||
+ | Note: Some strains of e coli may require shorter or longer heat shock times. Always check the strain before transforming!</li> | ||
+ | <li>Set tubes back on ice for 2 minutes.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add 250 - 500 uL of LB and grow in the 37 shaking incubator for 45 minutes. If you are plating on ampicillin, this step can be skipped.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Plate 50 uL of cells on each plate using beads or cell spreader.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Grow overnight at 37 degrees C.</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
+ | <h2>Making electrophoresis gels</h2> | ||
+ | <ol> | ||
+ | <li>Add 1 g of agarose to 100 mL of 10x TAE buffer.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Heat in the microwave for about 1 minute and 45 seconds, until the solution has come to a boil.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Allow the liquid to cool for 5 minutes.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add 10 uL of Midori Green and swirl gently to mix.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Pour 30 - 50 mL into gel tray with comb. Use as little gel as possible if you plan to extract and purify plasmids from it later.</li></li> | ||
+ | <li>Let sit about 30 minutes to cast.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Note: this makes a 1% gel, which works for most purposes. However, a lower percentage, such as 0.7% gel, is best for gel extractions, and as high as 2% agarose can be used when resolving large bands of DNA.</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
+ | <h2>Gel Electrophoresis</h2> | ||
+ | <ol> | ||
+ | <li>Cast an agarose gel and set it in the electrophoresis box.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add 1 uL of 6x loading dye for every 5 uL of sample.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Load a DNA ladder into the first and last wells of the gel.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Load one sample into each remaining lane of the gel, being careful not to puncture the well or let the sample overflow.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Run gel at 120 V for approximately 25 minutes.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Image gel using the Ethidium Bromide protocol on the gel imager (we use Midori Green, but the EthBr protocol also works).</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
+ | <h2>Plasmid Purification</h2> | ||
+ | <ol> | ||
+ | <li>Grow up a colony overnight in 5 mL of LB in the 37 degree C shaker.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Follow the protocol included with the DNA mini-prep kit you are using. We used the Omega Bio-Tek E.Z.N.A. Plasmid DNA Mini Kit.</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
+ | <h2>Double Digestion (dephos, dont automatically assume cutsmart, dpn1, consider glycerol)</h2> | ||
+ | <ol> | ||
+ | <li>Use a Double Digest finder, such as that on the NEB website, to find the optimal buffer for your reaction.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add the directed amount of your chosen buffer, and BSA if necessary</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add 0.75 uL of each enzyme.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Add DNA to be digested.</li> | ||
+ | <li>Bring up the total volume to 7.75 uL</li> | ||
+ | </ol> | ||
</html> | </html> |
Revision as of 02:42, 19 September 2015
A. Using a Lab Notebook
- Always include the date and your initials or signature.
- Procedures from previous labs do not have to be rewritten, but should be clearly referenced.
- Always Include:
- Any and all calculations
- Number of cells seeded
- Components of solutions
- Type of cells
- Type of media
- Brand names of solutions used (Invitrogen, Bio-Rad, Promega, etc.)
- Observations such as confluency, color of media, etc.
- Always write directly in the notebook, rather than writing it on a separate sheet and copying it later.
- Do no leave large open spaces. If you do, cross these out.
- If you cross out text, make sure it is still legible underneath.
- Number all pages in the notebook, and do not tear pages out.
- Write all entries in ink.
- Use original documentation when possible (e.g. machine printout rather than copying data by hand.)
- Be thorough! Somebody should be able to repeat your experiments by looking at the lab notebook.
Making LB
- Add 20 g of LB powder to 1 L of water and mix.
- Autoclave on a liquid cycle.
- If adding antibiotics, wait until the LB has cooled enough to comfortably touch the bottle. Otherwise, the heat will start to break them down.
Pouring plates
- Add 20 g of LB powder and 14 g of agar (NOT agarose) to 1 L of water and mix.
- Autoclave on a liquid cycle
- Wait until the LB agar has cooled enough to comfortably touch the bottle.
- If desired, add antibiotics now.
- Pour 10 - 20 mL of LB agar into each plate. This can be done by eye, but using a pipet-aid will give more consistent results
- If any bubbles formed on the surface of your plates, quickly pop them using a pipet tip.
- Allow the plates to solidify.
- Wrap plates in a bag, sleeve, or Parafilm.
- Store upside down at 4 degrees.
Transformation
- Take competent cells out of freezer and thaw on ice for 20-30 minutes. Take only as many as you need; they lose competency if re-frozen.
- Take agar plates out of storage and allow them to warm up to room temperature.
- Add 10 pg to 100 ng of DNA (usually about 1-5 uL depending on concentration) to 20 - 50 uL of competent cells.
- Mix tubes by gently flicking.
- Place tubes back on ice for 20-30 minutes.
- Heat shock transformation by placing it in 42 degree C water bath for 45 seconds. Note: Some strains of e coli may require shorter or longer heat shock times. Always check the strain before transforming!
- Set tubes back on ice for 2 minutes.
- Add 250 - 500 uL of LB and grow in the 37 shaking incubator for 45 minutes. If you are plating on ampicillin, this step can be skipped.
- Plate 50 uL of cells on each plate using beads or cell spreader.
- Grow overnight at 37 degrees C.
Making electrophoresis gels
- Add 1 g of agarose to 100 mL of 10x TAE buffer.
- Heat in the microwave for about 1 minute and 45 seconds, until the solution has come to a boil.
- Allow the liquid to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add 10 uL of Midori Green and swirl gently to mix.
- Pour 30 - 50 mL into gel tray with comb. Use as little gel as possible if you plan to extract and purify plasmids from it later.
- Let sit about 30 minutes to cast.
- Note: this makes a 1% gel, which works for most purposes. However, a lower percentage, such as 0.7% gel, is best for gel extractions, and as high as 2% agarose can be used when resolving large bands of DNA.
Gel Electrophoresis
- Cast an agarose gel and set it in the electrophoresis box.
- Add 1 uL of 6x loading dye for every 5 uL of sample.
- Load a DNA ladder into the first and last wells of the gel.
- Load one sample into each remaining lane of the gel, being careful not to puncture the well or let the sample overflow.
- Run gel at 120 V for approximately 25 minutes.
- Image gel using the Ethidium Bromide protocol on the gel imager (we use Midori Green, but the EthBr protocol also works).
Plasmid Purification
- Grow up a colony overnight in 5 mL of LB in the 37 degree C shaker.
- Follow the protocol included with the DNA mini-prep kit you are using. We used the Omega Bio-Tek E.Z.N.A. Plasmid DNA Mini Kit.
Double Digestion (dephos, dont automatically assume cutsmart, dpn1, consider glycerol)
- Use a Double Digest finder, such as that on the NEB website, to find the optimal buffer for your reaction.
- Add the directed amount of your chosen buffer, and BSA if necessary
- Add 0.75 uL of each enzyme.
- Add DNA to be digested.
- Bring up the total volume to 7.75 uL