Biology lab report help plz

**zodiac66** · 15-11-2006, 21:45

I am having complete writers block here. I cannot for the life of me come up with a definition of what a TPE buffer is. I know what is consists of but am failing at putting into words why that is used instead of lets say water. I know that water conducts the electric current too quickly and will burn the gel but I am just having such a hard time putting it into words that don't sound highschoolish.

**mhl12** · 15-11-2006, 22:23

do you mean TBE buffer?

because based on what you wrote, i'm pretty sure you're talking about gel electrophorisis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBE_Buffer

TBE or Tris/Borate/EDTA, is a buffer solution that consists of a mixture of Tris base, boric acid, EDTA, and water.

In molecular biology, TBE and TAE are often used in procedures involving DNA, the most common being electrophoresis. Tris is an effective buffer for slightly basic solutions, which keeps DNA deprotonated and soluble in water. EDTA binds to divalent cations, particularly magnesium (Mg2+). These ions are necessary co-factors for many enzymes; Magnesium is a co-factor for many DNA-modifying enzymes.

**zodiac66** · 15-11-2006, 22:26

Perhaps you are correct, but according to the paperwork I have it was TPE buffer. And yes, it is gel electrophorisis. We did not make the gel itself, but have to include it in our reports.

Honestly, the whole experiment was seeing what the gel looked like, filling it with DNA, adding the electrodes and letting it run for an hour then staining.

**mhl12** · 15-11-2006, 22:31

haha i made gels and ran western blots all summer working in a lab.

is this for a class in highschool or college?

**zodiac66** · 15-11-2006, 22:33

Being that I am almost 40..it is for college.

Acually, this was the most wasteful lab I have ever spent. I really have no idea why we had to do it. It was not like we had to find out anything about the DNA..just to see how gel electrophorisis worked.