Which amongst the following statements are correct about gel electrophoresis?
(a) Fragments of DNA can be separated by this technique
(b) The DNA fragments are separated according to their size through sieving effect
(c) The most commonly used matrix is agarose
The fragments of DNA can be separated by a technique known as gel electrophoresis. Since DNA fragments are negatively charged molecules they can be separated by forcing them to move towards the anode under an electric field through a medium/matrix. Nowadays the most commonly used matrix is agarose which is a natural polymer extracted from sea weeds. The DNA fragments are separated (resolve) according to their size through sieving effect provided by the agarose gel. Hence, the smaller the fragment size, the farther it moves.
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