Unión Internacional de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular
Abstract
An extremely simple, inexpensive, and safe method is presented, which emulates nucleic acids isolation
and electrophoretic analysis as performed in a research environment, in the context of a secondary school
hands-on activity. The protocol is amenable to an interdisciplinary approach, taking into consideration the
electrical and chemical parameters of the electrophoretic system. Furthermore, the laboratory is framed in
a more comprehensive pedagogical setting, which addresses the methodological aspects of a pivotal
scientific enterprise such as the Human Genome Project. In this setting, the hands-on activity is complemented with animations, paper models, and discussions. Additionally, our results indicate that the use of
borate buffer and agar-agar gels suits many of the experiments included in college-level laboratory
activities, which currently make use of more expensive agarose gels and TBE or TAE buffer