How to Identify Supercoils, Nicks and Circles in DNA Plasmid Preps

Mentors at Your Benchside

#90 — Are you confused about the banding pattern of DNA on agarose gels? DNA can take many structural forms depending on its source and how you have isolated and purified it. And those forms, including linear, nicked, closed circled, and supercoiled, all migrate at different rates on agarose gels.

But how do you identify which band corresponds to which structural form? And why do some of these occur during plasmid preps but not others? Listen to this episode to find out. [1]

Since you're here, check out our article explaining how to get more supercoiled DNA from your plasmid preps [2] and learn how alkaline lysis works. [3]

Resources:
1. How to Identify Supercoils, Nicks and Circles in DNA Plasmid Preps using Gel Electrophoresis. Available at: https://bitesizebio.com/13524/how-to-identify-supercoils-nicks-and-circles-in-plasmid-preps/
2. 6 Ways to Show Your Plasmid Preps Some Tlc and Get More Supercoiled Plasmid in Return. Available at: https://bitesizebio.com/13525/6-ways-to-show-your-plasmid-preps-some-tlc-and-get-more-supercoiled-plasmid-in-return/
3. Lab Basics: How The Alkaline Lysis Method Works. Available at: https://bitesizebio.com/180/the-basics-how-alkaline-lysis-works/