slab-gel electrophoresis

Slab-gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins based on their size or electric charge. This process involves using a gel, often made of polyacrylamide or agarose, placed in an electrophoretic chamber with negative and positive terminals. Samples are loaded into wells at the negative end, and when an electric field is applied, negatively charged molecules move through the gel towards the positive end.12

The gel matrix acts as a sieve; smaller molecules move faster and further than larger ones, allowing for separation. This method is crucial for applications such as DNA fingerprinting, detecting genetic variations, and purifying nucleic acids and proteins for research. It's also used to identify pathogens in biological samples.13