More Information

For more information:

1-800-DNA-FOTO
(800-362-3686) or
262-369-7000

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FOTODYNE Incorporated
950 Walnut Ridge Drive
Hartland, WI 53029

Educational Support

Getting Started

Equipment Suggestions

Agarose Gel Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Micropipettor Accuracy
and Precision

Recipes for Bacteriological Media

Classroom Timelines

Ask Technical Support

Getting Started

A Few Questions Before You Get Started...

1. What do you want your students to do?

Although an obvious question, this is where it all begins. A simple transformation lab, for example, requires very little specialized equipment and is a great way to get started. If you plan on fulfilling the requirements for AP Biology Lesson 6, you will need materials not only for transformation, but also for gel electrophoresis. If you are planning a semester long course, you will undoubtedly be involved in more sophisticated techniques like DNA amplification and hybridization experiments.

2. How long do they have to do it?

Do your laboratory class periods last 50 minutes or 3 hours? Does the class meet every day or every other day? Answering these questions will help you make specific equipment decisions. For example, if your class periods are only 50 minutes long, you probably want a power supply with a low (10V) setting to allow your students to run gels overnight.

3. How many students at one time?

What is the largest class size you will need to accommodate, and how many students will you group into one lab team? Answering these questions will help you make important decisions regarding quantity. Also, if you have several classes that meet sequentially, you might need to consider staggering the laboratory exercises from class to class to maximize the use of your equipment.

4. Can your budget afford it?

Now it's time to be practical. You might need to refine some of your earlier decisions to fit the constraints of your budget. For example, to get started you might increase the number of students per team, and gradually add materials for additional teams as the budget permits.

One Of Your First Decisions...

Ultraviolet or White Light Transilluminators?

This question can only be answered after you decide which type of stain you will use to visualize your students' DNA.

Ethidium Bromide is the stain of choice in most research labs, and is also used in many schools. It stains rapidly, and allows detection of relatively small amounts of DNA. A UV transilluminator is needed to see ethidium bromide-stained DNA fragments, which appear as bright yellow-orange bands against a dark background. Ethidium bromide, however, is a mutagen which requires caution in handling and disposal.

The stain Methylene Blue has gained increasing popularity in the educational setting because it is relatively safe. This stain is not as sensitive as ethidium bromide, and therefore requires more DNA for detection. Longer staining and destaining times are also needed. DNA fragments appear as dark blue bands against a lighter blue background, which can be seen with white light transillumination.