Standard Curve & Correlation (Activity 1.1.6 - Blood Spatter)
Title: | Author: OpenStax | Published: OpenStax | License: CC BY 3.0
Linear Regression – Best Fit Line
A linear regression – or best-fit line – attempts to represent data points in a scatter plot as a representative trend.
Equation: $y = mx + b$
$y$ = y variable $m$ = slope $x$ = x variable $b$ = y intercept
Title: | Author: OpenStax | Published: OpenStax | License: CC BY 3.0
Nucleotides (Activity 1.2.1 - What is DNA?)
Structure: A phosphate group, deoxyribose sugar and a nitrogen base are all the components that make up a nucleotide. The organization of each structural component can be seen to the right.
Function: Nucleotides are marcomolecule-monomers that can be brought together to create a DNA polymer; they are the ‘building blocks’ of DNA.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (Activity 1.2.3 - DNA Analysis)
Step 1 – Denaturation
Raise the temperature.
As a result, the hydrogen bonds in the DNA double strand break and the molecule separates into two separate DNA single strands. (Excuse the alliteration!)
Step 2 – Annealing
Cool the temperature down a bit.
This will allow primers to attach to complimentary sequences on each of the single stranded DNA.
Step 3 – Elongation
Slightly raise the temperature
Taq polymerase will interact with the DNA-primer complex and begin to add nucleotides to the 3′ end of the primer. These nucleotides will be complimentary to whatever nucleotides are on the DNA strand.
Title: BamHI | Author: Simon Caulton | Published: Wikimedia Commons | License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Gel Electrophoresis (Activity 1.2.3 - DNA Analysis)
Purpose: DNA gel electrophoresis attempts to separate DNA fragments according to the size of the fragments.
Function: The DNA sample is loaded into the wells of the gel and a current is applied to the electrophoresis chamber which also contains a salt water buffer. The DNA is moves towards the positive electrode in response to an applied current. Larger DNA fragments move slower through the agarose molecules in the gel.
Application: Gel electrophoresis can be used to analyze and compare the RFLPs of an unknown genetic sample to known genetic samples. For example, DNA evidence at a crime scene can be compared to a series of potential suspects.