Australia's Science Forum

Hi All,
I'm looking at purchasing an electrophoresis kit and wanted to know if anyone has one they would recommend?
Thanks

I would strongly suggest looking at the Dye electrophoresis kits as apposed to the real DNA ones .

we had the Carolina DNA ones but the samples were very expensive and had small shelf life . They also require supper dopper expensive Agarose powder and stains . The process was two part requiring overnight refrigeration for the staining process .

Then we switched to Dyes . The dyes are cheap . Normal Agar can be used . no staining required and the whole prac can be run in a period .

Sure , the Dyes aren't real DNA , but the process is a great simulation and shows the concept of different weight molecules traveling at different speeds .

Thanks for your reply. I was looking at these ones from Southern Biology
Bluegel Electrophoresis Starter Kit
Any feedback? They look like they can be used with both dye and DNA samples?

KassH wrote: ↑30 Oct 2020, 09:30 Thanks for your reply. I was looking at these ones from Southern Biology
Bluegel Electrophoresis Starter Kit
Any feedback? They look like they can be used with both dye and DNA samples?

I had a quick look ,very nice units and the internal light and special dye in sample is a big improvement on the old ones , but to me they look like they just DNA samples . Nothing wrong with that but be prepared for a lot of expensive consumables each time you run . We simply couldn't afford to keep running DNA samples on our DET budget so we switched to the Dye ones .

Hope I.m not confusing you with the dye word .

Yes there is dye in the DNA samples , there has to be so you can see it move ....but the alternate electrophoresus kits actually just use a variety of different coloured Dyes as the actual sample in the wells . Each dye has a different weight to simulate the different weights that DNA has .

Hi Ive got the Bluegel one, it does run with just dyes and is quick to run, good video on how to prepare the gels and buffer etc, MariaQ

Thanks bigmack and MariaQ.
That's good to know MariaQ. I watched the video and it all looked pretty straight forward but you never know until you get it!
KassH

We have the Bluegel ones which we run with dyes and home-made buffered agar and they work well.
Liz

We have the Hexogel Electrophoresis unit from STEM Reactor. Can run 6 gels at the same time. We have been very happy with the unit and with the service from STEM reactor. Mostly we do the candy dye extraction but once per year we get in one of the DNA simulation kits.
Kathryn

I been asked for 8 trays .We only have 5 and they only have 4 sample slots .
found one on thingverse that looks good .
3D printing it now . It has to be cheaper than buying one . Fingers crossed Failing this , I'll be Laser cutting some up in TAS out of Acrylic sheet . No way I'm paying rip off prices for a plastic box

It printed OK . Got a piece of Perspex cut at TAS for the bottom and siliconed it in place .
All setup waiting for the Agar to cool enough to pour . When it had cooled ,the Comb and end stops come out cleanly .
This was my biggest concern but it was fine. Loaded the dyes . The first few are a bit blurry because I forgot to whip the tip before loading the wells. It worked
OK ,Not bad for a first go with it . will tweak a few things but for less than $10.00 worth of PLA filament , perspex and what ever electrodes I use ,I'm pretty happy . ......and I'l have saved about $2000

Wow Bigmack, I hope your school appreciates you!!!
That is a fantastic set up, especially for the cost!

melsid wrote: ↑10 Nov 2020, 07:12
Wow Bigmack, I hope your school appreciates you!!!
That is a fantastic set up, especially for the cost!

Hear Hear!

Well done Bigmack that's great

wow congratulation that looks great!!!

Talk about resourceful!! Maybe you should invoice for the difference?

Hi Bigmack,
How do we get a hold of the 3D pattern please? I would love the 3D info so we can make it as well.
Thanks

superbug wrote: ↑11 Nov 2020, 13:34 Hi Bigmack,
How do we get a hold of the 3D pattern please? I would love the 3D info so we can make it as well.
Thanks

oh yes please that would be great.

macca wrote: ↑11 Nov 2020, 14:10

superbug wrote: ↑11 Nov 2020, 13:34 Hi Bigmack,
How do we get a hold of the 3D pattern please? I would love the 3D info so we can make it as well.
Thanks

oh yes please that would be great.

Hopefully this link works .if not I can PM you the files .
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3321702

I changed things a bit . the original used banana sockets ( both of which are quite different ) and it suggested using Platinum wire or steel wire as the electrode.Platinum wire is nice but as I had already sold my first born for other projects and the steel wire did some funky things as did copper wire , I used good old Carbon electrodes . pulled the terminal out with pliers and hacksawed to fit . Then bent up some copper sheet to make some spring terminals.
Oh yeah , I had to snip out the small rings that hold the wires. The instructions also suggested getting some rubber window seal off ebay to use as the end stops but I just used some seal adhesive foam we had lying around. The thingiverse project also included a power supply which requires buying another circuit board off ebay and it runs at about 100V.
As I didn't have time to wait , I cobbled up a voltage doubler circuit out of some common diodes and capacitors I had lying around .I also had a few Xmas tree light power transformers that put out 24V AC so with the doubler , I got around 75-80 volts which works just as well as the higher voltage . It also worked with two power packs in series .

Here's the schematic that the electronics teacher will understand .I added a 100 ohm resistor . This is only as a kind of fuse that will go up in smoke should the kids accidentally short the output leads rather than burn out the diodes and transformer .

I'm not saying that this is the way to do it . Just that if you are on a budget and can get help from TAS or others , it could save you a bit .

Sorry to have hijacked this topic . By all means move it if need be.

Just wondering how your set-up has endured, bigmack?