Huge lab in chemistry I need help on...?

Question

We're doing this lab called an amgen lab where you take the genetic information in bacteria called a plasmid and you put it in another plasmid. It's kind of like two donuts switching pieces. So, after we did the electrophoresis (it's where you put the plasmids in a machine that puts electricity through it to see how charged the particles are) and we have to answer questions. We have to examine the data from the electrophoresis and the question is "Is there evidence of more than one form of multimer?" What the heck does that mean? I need an answer from a chemist or something that understands what the heck I'm doing. If you can't answer this question, if you understand the slightest bit what I'm talking about, can you explain it to me? I need serious help. If you don't even think I'm speaking english don't even bother to answer. Thanks.

Answer 1

I beleive you are talking about ligating (joining) two pieces of DNA (plasmids) into one piece. Amgen is the company that makes the Plasmid Fusion kit.

Did you use restriction enzymes to cut the plasmids before you mixed them together?

A multimer (multi= many, mer= units) would be obvious on the gel if there were several different band lengths in the different lanes.

Imagine that in one lane, there was no joining of the plasmids, so the band would be small and close to the end of the gel (+ end, since DNA is negatively charged). In another lane, the two different plasmids combined, in another two of the same plasmids combined, in another three plasmids ending up joining together.

Each possibility is possible, as the plasmids join randomly. Multimers will be identified as varying lengths on the gel.

I hope this helps....I am happy to help you more, if you care to contact me at my email.