National Centre for Biotechnology Education | Protocols

First edition, 2000.
This is one of a series of booklets that is intended to replace the NCBE's popular 'Practical biotechnology' guide, which is now out-of-print.
It's a 44-page, A4 full-colour booklet with illustrated instructions for nine practical activities using DNA, ideas for additional investigations, safety guidelines and a 10-page introduction to molecular genetics for students.
A printed version of this booklet can be purchased from the NCBE, and you may download the booklet as a series of PDF files (free-of-charge) if you wish.
The production of this booklet was supported by Unilever plc.
ISBN: 0 7049 1370 4

Safety guidelines for practical work with DNA
can be found here.

	Introduction cover, introduction, acknowledgements, copyright notice and contents page
	DNA: Molecule of the century background information
	Safety guidelines good microbiological practice


	Modelling DNA physical and computer models are useful for studying molecular structure
	Extracting DNA from onions and other tissues
	DNA quantification diphenylamine gives a blue-coloured complex with deoxyribose
	Induction of beta-galactosidase in E.coli E. coli makes the enzyme beta-galactosidase - but only when induced to
	Extraction of plasmid DNA plasmid DNA can be extracted from bacteria and run on an electrophoresis gel
	Bacterial transformation prove that DNA is the genetic material by transforming bacteria
	Restriction and ligation of DNA restriction enzymes and DNA ligase can be used to 'cut and paste' DNA
	Restriction site mapping of lambda DNA find out where the restriction sites are in phage lambda's DNA
	Amplifying lambda DNA using the polymerase chain reaction

	Ideas for further investigations
	Running gels \| Units of measurement hints for electrophoresis of DNA on agarose gels
	DNA revealed alternatives to ethidium bromide for staining DNA
	Recipes for media, buffers, etc.
	Glossary
	Other sources of information
	Suppliers of the necessary equipment and materials
	Curriculum links

How to download these files

Illuminating DNA is available as downloadable Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Just click on a title to the left to go to the download pages.

Details of how to obtain a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader software are given here.


	Copyright © National Centre for Biotechnology Education, 2008 \| www.ncbe.reading.ac.uk