Unit 6 Reflection

   In this unit we learned what biotech was and how it is applied for use in biotechnology. The candy electrophoresis lab demonstrated how gel electrophoresis is used to sort DNA strands by their lengths by using the dyes in candy. Later in the pGLO lab I learned how to use plasmids to transform the bacteria E. coli to glow under UV light. In this unit I learned many things about biotechnology and how it is applied to real life. Although most of the dyes ran off the gel in the candy electrophoresis lab due to a school assembly, in the pGLO lab our E. coli was successful in taking in the plasmid and glowing.
 
   In the candy electrophoresis lab we extracted the dyes from the candies and then used a centrifuge to concentrate the dye. After that we placed the dyes into the slots and compared how far each band traveled. Unfortunately, an assembly started when we where running the gel and once we got back the dyes had run off the gel! There where 2 blue strands still remaining on the gel so I observed these strands.

In the pGLO lab we got E. coli to take in a plasmid that would make it create glowing proteins. First we dissolved a E. coli colony each into 2 different vials, one containing the plasmid that would make the cell make glowing proteins and one without. The vials where then cooled then heated then cooled again. Eventually the solution was spread out onto 4 separate petri dishes. The petri dish that had the E. coli in the broth, ampicillin, and arabinose glowed when placed under an ultra violet light.

I want to learn more about biotechnology and it's applications in the future. I understand all the topics in the vodcast and how all the experiments worked in the labs. However I wonder what the results of the candy electrophoresis lab would have been like had the experiment not failed. As far as my New Year's goals go, I am currently on track.  My notebook is nice and organized and I have made sure that I understand each topic.