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Individual Experiments

This is a list of experiments that are only sold individually.

IND-10 PCR Amplification of a Gene for Ribosomal RNA (View Individual Experiment)

A ribosome is composed of a large subunit and a small subunit and each subunit contains specific RNAs that are associated with ribosomal proteins. Ribosomes play the same essential role in protein synthesis in all contemporary organisms and the genes for ribosomal RNAs in each subunit are highly conserved. The gene for the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (16 S-like) has been especially useful in evolutionary studies of distant phylogenetic relationships because it has remained quite stable during evolution of all organisms.

IND-12 Characterization of the Satellite DNA from the Meal Worm (View Individual Experiment)

Satellite DNAs are highly repeated sequences of unknown function. The satellite DNA from the meal worm beetle is remarkable since it represents over 50% of this insects genome. In this exercise, students first isolate DNA from beetle larvae by a simple and safe procedure. They then digest the DNA with EcoR1 and examine the satellite DNA following electrophoresis as shown on the gel pictured below. Suffient materials are provided so that the experiment can be carried out twice by eight groups of students.

IND-13 Transformation and Analysis of Yeast (View Individual Experiment)

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has served as one of the most important model organism for the study of eukaryotic molecular biology. The entire yeast genome has been sequenced and the function of many yeast genes is now known. This rapid progress has relied heavily on the ability to introduce replicating plasmids into yeast. A typical replicating yeast plasmid contains an origin of replication known as an autonomously replicating sequence or ARS and a selectable marker gene that enables the yeast to grow in the absence of a nutrient such as uracil.

IND-14 Enzyme Kinetics (View Individual Experiment)

This miniprogram was designed to give students a basic understanding of enzyme kinetics. In the first experiment in this series, students prepare an extract from wheat germ. They then determined the initial velocity (Vo) of the reaction catalyzed by purified acid phosphatase and by the acid phosphatase activity present in the extract. From these data, they estimate the amount of the enzyme that is present in the wheat germ. In the second experiment, the student examines the effects of substrate concentration on the reaction velocity.

IND-15 Bacterial Phenotypes (View Individual Experiment)

Genes introduced into E.coli by plasmid-mediated transformation can confer variation in the phenotype of the bacteria. For example, E.coli containing the ampicillin-resistance gene grows in the presence of this antibiotic while the product of the ß-galactosidase gene enables the bacteria to convert the ß-galactosidase substrate X-gal to a blue product. Similarly, E.coli containing the Lux operon produce colonies that glow in the dark.

IND-16 Identifying Viral DNA by Rapid Southern Blotting (View Individual Experiment)

A limitation to the Southern blotting procedure for the teaching laboratory is that it requires multiple laboratory sessions. The procedures have been streamlined for this experiment so that they can be carried out in a single 3-hour laboratory period. In the exercise, students electrophorese three unknown DNA samples on an agarose gel. One of the samples (instructor keyed) contains biotinylated DNA from the bacterial virus lambda.

IND-17 A Rapid Immunological Method to Study Evolution. (View Individual Experiment)

Each protein carries in its amino acid sequence information pertaining to its evolutionary history and origin, and provides clues to the evolutionary history of the organism in which it is found. Indeed, proteins existing today are in effect living fossils. This concept is illustrated in this exercise where eight groups of students examine the abilities of antibodies against cow gamma globulin to react with gamma globulins in the sera of cow, goat, sheep, horse, and chicken.

IND-18 IND-19 IND-20 Zoology, Histology, Developmental Anatomy. (View Individual Experiment)

College students are frequently introduced to basic histology, zoology and developmental anatomy during their freshman and sophomore years. Traditionally, this is accomplished by the study of prepared microscope slides. The approach does not teach students how slides are made and students frequently become disinterested and bored because they are viewing prepared biological materials. Modern Biology Inc. now offers three miniprograms that were designed to circumvent these limitations. The starting point for the programs are precut tissue sections which are ready for staining.

IND-2 Tissue Printing (View Individual Experiment)

Locating specific proteins and nucleic acid molecules in tissue sections is an important goal in cell biology. An effective and simple technique for this purpose is tissue printing which permits the localization of specific macromolecules in animal and plant tissues. Here students perform this technique to examine the tissue distribution of the enzyme peroxidase in plants. First, students section carrots, celery, and other vegetables with razor blades and transfer the proteins from the cut sections to nitrocellulose membranes by application of gentle pressure.

IND-21 Identifying Genomic and Plasmid DNA Sequences in E.coli by Colony PCR. (View Individual Experiment)

Purified DNA is most often used as a template in the PCR reaction. However, it is possible to amplify specific DNA sequences without DNA purification by starting with a single living E. coli colony. This technique is known as colony PCR and provides a powerful and reliable method for the rapid amplification and isolation of any gene in the E.coli genome or any gene on a plasmid that is carried by E.coli. In this exercise, students carry out colony PCR starting with a culture of E. coli that carries an ampicillin-resistance gene on plasmid pUC18.

IND-22 Characterization of Peroxidases in Plants (View Individual Experiment)

This program was designed to actively engage students in exciting biological research projects of their own design. The projects focus on peroxidases, which form a large family of related enzymes that are ubiquitous in plants. Plant peroxidase isoenzymes can be tissue specific, developmentally regulated and display variable tissue and, high salt and disease resistance defense reactions and this induction may be related to the abilities of peroxidases to strengthen the plant cell wall and to kill microorganisms.

IND-24 An Introduction to Electrophoresis (View Individual Experiment)

This economical 2-part exercise provides an introduction to agarose gel electrophoresis. In the first part of the exercise, students identify unknown dye molecules by comparing their electrophoretic migration with the migration of known dyes. In the second part students identify dye molecules that bind to DNA and determine the mechanism. The exercise was designed for 8 groups of students and includes four colorful dye mixtures and DNA.
Electrophoresis Package 1/8 is needed but not provided.

IND-26 Localizing Tublin by Immunohistochemistry (View Individual Experiment)

Microtubules are hollow cylinders made up of polymers of the protein tubulin. Microtubules are major components of cilia and flagella, which are tail like projections that are covered by a plasma membrane and extend outwards from the cell. Motile cilia are used for locomotion and food gathering by some protozoa and are found in the lining of the trachea, where their wave like motion propels mucus, dust and other foreign matter out of the lungs.

IND-27 Composition of the Nucleosome (View Individual Experiment)

The primary level of chromosome structure in eukaryotes occurs when the DNA molecule is wrapped around histone proteins into particles called nucleosomes. Evidence for this “beads on a string” model is derived from nuclease digestion studies. When nuclei are incubated with micrococcal nuclease, the enzyme cleaves the linker DNA between nucleosomes (the string) but not the nucleosomal core DNA (the beads).

IND-3 The ELISA Immunoassay (View Individual Experiment)

The ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay) is a powerful immunological method for detecting specific proteins in complex protein mixtures. The ELISA has become an important tool for the cell and molecular biologist. It is increasingly being applied in clinical medicine for detecting proteins associated with disease including antibodies produced in response to infection by the HIV virus. The method is also easy to perform and yields graphic results making it well suited for the teaching laboratory.

IND-4 Development of the Immune System and the Western Press-Blot. (View Individual Experiment)

In most mammals, antibody production does not occur until after birth. The newborn calf receives antibodies in milk and these antibodies are responsible for passive immunity during early postnatal life. Thus, fetal calf serum is devoid of antibodies, neonatal calf serum contains antibodies of maternal origin while serum from the adult contains large amounts of antibodies made by the mature immune system. This fascinating developmental scheme is illustrated in this exercise.

IND-5 Specificity of Albumin Binding. (View Individual Experiment)

The binding of an enzyme to its substrate is only one example of the many specific molecular interactions that occur in biological systems. An analogous binding process occurs with serum albumin which binds certain small molecular weight compounds and serves as a carrier molecule for these compounds in blood. In this exercise, students use an electrophoretic assay to examine the binding of various dyes to albumin. The results of this graphic analysis show that the binding of dyes to albumin is saturable, specific, compatible, and dependent on the native structure of the protein.

IND-6 Analysis of a Mutant Hemoglobin Gene (View Individual Experiment)

A mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA which leads to an inherited change in an organism. Restriction endonucleases provide valuable tools for characterizing mutations at the DNA level. This principle is illustrated in the exercise where students digest a normal and a mutant gene with EcoR1 and Hae III and then analyze the DNA fragments from each by electrophoresis as shown in the figure below. The gene is from rabbit and codes for the ß-globin chains of hemoglobin.

IND-7 Amplification of a Hemoglobin Gene by PCR (View Individual Experiment)

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the most powerful techniques used in molecular biology . With this method, a few ng of DNA can be amplified millions of times in a test tube in a few hours. The PCR has been used extensively in studies of gene structure and function. The method is also becoming increasingly important in DNA typing procedures such as DNA fingerprinting and in the identification and characterization of mutations that cause human diseases. This exercise is designed to illustrate the PCR in the teaching laboratory.

IND-9 Producing a Strain of E. coli that Glows in the Dark. (View Individual Experiment)

The emission of light by living organisms is a fascinating process. The genetic system required for luminescence in the bacterium Photobacterium (Vibiro) fischeri is the lux operon. This operon contains a gene for luciferase (the enzyme that catalyzes the light-emitting reaction) and genes for enzymes which produce the luciferins (which are the substrates for the light-emitting reaction.). In this exercise, students create a luminescent population of bacteria by introducing into E.coli a plasmid that contains this lux operon.