Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

Agarose gel electrophoresis is a simple and highly effective method for separating, identifying, and purifying 0.5- to 25-kb DNA fragments. The protocol can be divided into three stages: (1) a gel is prepared with an agarose concentration appropriate for the size of DNA fragments to be separated; (2) the DNA samples are loaded into the sample wells and the gel is run at a voltage and for a time period that will achieve optimal separation; and (3) the gel is stained or, if ethidium bromide has been incorporated into the gel and electrophoresis buffer, visualized directly upon illumination with UV light.