Concept explainers
RECALL What advantages does fluorescent labeling offer over radioactive methods of labeling DNA?
Interpretation:
The advantages of fluorescent labeling over radioactive labeling of DNA is to be determined.
Concept introduction:
Two methods are used to detect or visualize DNA fragments.
Radioactive labeling: labeling of DNA molecule with radioactive isotopes of phosphorus
Florescence: labeling of DNA molecule with fluorescent molecules of ethidium bromide.
Answer to Problem 1RE
Solution: In fluorescent labeling of a DNA molecule, fluorescent molecules of ethidium bromide are used. This fluorescent tag is safe, can be decomposed easily, and no special license for its use is needed.
Explanation of Solution
Two methods are used to detect or visualize DNA fragments. In radioactive labeling of DNA molecule, radioactive isotopes of phosphorus
Since in radioactive labeling, radioactive molecule is used, which is unsafe, special license is needed to carry out the experiment. Also, special techniques are required that can be used to decompose the radioactive waste. But all these things are not needed in the case of fluorescent labeling.
Thus, fluorescent tag is safe, can be decomposed easily, and no special license is needed for its use.
The fluorescent tag is safe, can be decomposed easily, and no special license is needed for its use.
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Chapter 13 Solutions
Biochemistry
- REFLECT AND APPLY Suggest a reason why it would be unlikely for replication to take place without unwinding the DNA helix.arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY (a) Is it biologically advantageous that DNA is stable? Why or why not? (b) Is it biologically advantageous that RNA is unstable? Why or why not?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY (a) Eukaryotic DNA replication is more complex than prokaryotic replication. Give one reason why this should be so. (b) Why might eukaryotic cells need more kinds of DNA polymerases than bacteria?arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY Why is it more important for DNA to be replicated accurately than transcribed accurately?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY In the MeselsonStahl experiment that established the semiconservative nature of DNA replication, the extraction method produced short fragments of DNA. What sort of results might have been obtained with longer pieces of DNA?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY What difficulties arise in the polymerase chain reaction if there is contamination of the DNA that is to be copied?arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY Each of the following pairs of primers has a problem with it. Tell why the primers would not work well. (a) Forward primer 5'GCCTCCGGAGACCCATTGG3' Reverse primer 5'TTCTAAGAAACTGTTAAGG3' (b) Forward primer 5'GGGGCCCCTCACTCGGGGCCCC3' Reverse primer 5'TCGGCGGCCGTGGCCGAGGCAG3' (c) Forward primer 5'TCGAATTGCCAATGAAGGTCCG3' Reverse primer 5'CGGACCTTCATTGGCAATTCGA3'arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY What is the complete base composition of a double-stranded eukaryotic DNA that contains 22% guanine?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY E. coli incorporates deoxyribonucleotides into DNA at a rate of 250 to 1000 bases per second. Using the higher value, translate this into typing speed in words per minute. (Assume five characters per word, using the typing analogy from Question 36.)arrow_forward
- REFLECT AND APPLY Explain how DNA gyrase works.arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY When proteins are separated using native gel electrophoresis, size, shape, and charge control their rate of migration on the gel. Why does DNA separate based on size, and why do we not worry much about shape or charge?arrow_forwardREFLECT AND APPLY List three mechanisms that relax the twisting stress in helical DNA molecules.arrow_forward
- BiochemistryBiochemistryISBN:9781305961135Author:Mary K. Campbell, Shawn O. Farrell, Owen M. McDougalPublisher:Cengage Learning