Educational Materials

Supplier: G-Biosciences

The physical properties of proteins kit is a lab activity that enables students to investigate the physical properties of several different proteins. Students will learn about protein solubility and how it is affected by various parameters; including temperature, pH, salt and dielectric constant. They will understand about protein precipitation due to pH, high salt and in the presence of organic solvents and about protein denaturation as a result of high temperature. In addition, the kit will demonstrate how non-protein agents, such as detergents drastically alter the physical properties of protein molecules and as a result, understand the importance of detergents in protein solubilisation. This lab activity involves analysis of three different types of pure proteins and then students alter some of those properties with a detergent and re-examine physical properties of those proteins. Students are challenged to consider how physical properties of protein molecules can be exploited for purification and characterisation of proteins and apply their findings on a test sample of complex tissue extract.

Supplier: G-Biosciences

Dot blotting is a simple technique to identify a known protein in a biological sample. The ease and simplicity of the technique makes dot blotting an ideal diagnostic tool.

Supplier: G-Biosciences

This lab activity is designed to demonstrate the different classes of protein molecules and their classification based on solubility. Students learn fractionation of soluble, insoluble membrane proteins, and cytoskeleton proteins from a tissue sample. The insoluble protein fraction is further fractionated into hydrophilic and hydrophobic membrane proteins. Cell membrane structure and the role of hydrophobic membrane proteins are considered. This lab activity also provides an opportunity to understand characteristics of various classes of detergents and the role of detergents in solubilisation of hydrophobic membrane proteins.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Plasmid and lambda DNA are pre-digested with restriction endonucleases that recognise and cut double-stranded DNA within or near defined base sequences. Digests are separated by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Solve the mystery of two boys separated from their parents a decade ago. Their biological mother is identified by mitochondrial DNA and their biological father from chromosomal DNA.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

The DNA from bacteriophage Lambda is a well-characterised linear molecule containing six recognition sites for Eco RI (5 distinct sites, 2 are very close in size). In this experiment, Lambda DNA is digested by the Eco RI endonuclease. The digestion products are analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

This easy and safe experiment allows students to learn about enzyme catalysis, the nature of enzyme action, and protein structure-function relationship. Students will perform an enzyme assay and determine the rate of the enzymatic reaction.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Small-scale, rapid isolation of plasmid DNA is a routine procedure used for screening and analysis of recombinant DNAs in cloning and sub-cloning experiments. In this experiment, students isolate plasmid DNA without the use of toxic chemicals such as phenol or chloroform.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

This experiment introduces students to the principles of antigen-antibody interactions by using the Ouchterlony procedure. Antibodies and antigens form complexes that precipitate, making it possible to assay antibody-antigen systems. The binding interaction results in the formation of a white precipitate after diffusion in agarose.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

An HIV test detects HIV infection indirectly using an ELISA test against HIV antibodies in the blood. The test works by taking antibodies from the patient's blood and adding them to a microtitre plate coated with HIV antigen. If HIV antibodies are present, they will bind to the antigens on the plate. In this experiment, students perform an ELISA text by coating microtitre plate wells with simulated HIV antigen and then test simulated donor serum for anti-HIV antibodies.

Supplier: G-Biosciences

This DNA fingerprinting kit allows students to carry out their own criminal investigation by comparing DNA samples collected from suspects to DNA collected at a pseudo-crime scene.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Coronary heart disease and stroke are major causes of death in the Western world. Elevated blood cholesterol levels are a serious risk factor in both conditions. The genetic disease familial hypersholesterolemia (FH) causes an increase in blood levels of the bad form of cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL). In untreated patients with the mutant FH gene, the condition can cause premature death. This experiment introduces the colorimetric enzymatic reaction which is the basis of the clinical cholesterol test. In addition, using agarose gel electrophoresis, students can analyse a simulated genetic screening for a disease.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

This experiment introduces chromatographic theory and methods of thin layer chromatography (TLC). A mixture of dyes are separated on a cellulose-based TLC plate using different solvent systems.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Ready-to-Load™ kit to show how electrophoresis separates molecules on the basis of size and charge.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

Students can solve a crime using PCR. Plasmid DNA is provided that, when amplified by PCR, provides products that represent individual DNA profiles.

Supplier: EDVOTEK

In this experiment, students study the diversity of fish using pre-stained, lyophilised proteins. Total protein from perch, walleye and salmon is extracted and pre-stained using an indicator dye. Each fish protein sample has a characteristic banding pattern when separated by denaturing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which can be used to identify the specific species.