DNA Typing

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can we get the additional materials not included the kit?

Additional materials can be found on Vandalia's website or through Fisher Science Education.

How many students can use each kit?

There are enough materials for six groups of students, 4-6 students per group.

Are there materials in the kit that can be reused?

No. A full kit must be purchased in order to run the experiment again.

Can the gel be over-loaded?

If you load 1 tube of DNA per lane, the gel cannot be overloaded. If you happen to load more than one tube of DNA per lane you may have poor separation of bands in the lane that was overloaded and those nearby.

What if some of the DNA is lost before it can be loaded onto the gel, will a small amount of DNA still show on the gel?

Yes, if you have at least 4 µL of DNA the gel will still work. The lower the amount of DNA loaded, the more difficult the bands will be to see.

Can the DNA be run on another type of gel?

Yes, the DNA from the kits can be used on gels other than the BlueVis gels provided. However, BlueVis is not known to be a carcinogen, and allows for "real-time" visualization of the electrophoresis process.

How much DNA is needed if you use an E-gel®*?

E-gel®'s (registered trademark of Invitrogen) are not officially supported. But we recommend that you do the following :

1. Use a 1.2% or 2% E-gel®.
2. Add 48ul of distilled water to each sample tube.
3. Load 10ul of the new mixture onto the E-gel.
4. For a SYBR® Safe E-gel® please load 20 µl.

There does not appear to be enough DNA in the tube. What should I do?

Some of the tubes may have their contents splashed around inside the tube. Use a small centrifuge (if available) to spin the tube so the DNA will be pulled to the bottom of the tube.

What if I do not have a centrifuge?

Hold the tube by its top near the cap and make a hard downward swinging motion using the arm. Alternatively, add 10 uL of distilled water to the tube - then pipette 20 ul into each well in the gel.

Can the gels be run too long?

Yes, gels can be run too long. With the BlueVis, it is easy to determine where your DNA is in relation to the end of the gel. Be sure to stop the electrophoresis before the bottom band of the ladder gets with in 1 cm of the end of the gel.

Can the gels be run too short?

Yes, the gels can be run too short. Running the gels for a shorter period of time will result in poor separation of the bands. The bands will appear compressed and make analysis more difficult. If the gel has been run to short, simply place the gel back in the electrophoresis chamber and continue the electrophoresis.

Can the whole kit be stored in the freezer?

Yes. Storing the kit in the freezer will dramatically extend the life of the kit. However, it is important to vigorusly vortex and centrifuge all the DNA samples after thawing.

How long do the materials last before expiring?

The kit will last 1 year from the manufacturing date.

How long after the expiration date can the kit be used?

If the kit has passed its expiration date, there is increased chance of some or all of the reagents to be bad. You may be able to still use the kit, but you should test it before using it in a classroom setting.

What if the BlueVis stain was left out at room temperature (i.e. for a few days)?

If the BlueVis stain's temperature did not exceed room temperature (25 C) the BlueVis stain will still be useable. If the temperature exceeded 4 C for an extended period, visualization of the DNA may become more difficult.

Can you stain BlueVis gels with ethidium bromide?

If you used the BlueVis gels and BlueVis buffer provided in the kit, ethidium bromide will not stain the DNA in the BlueVis gels. If you want to used ethidium bromide we suggest you pour your own 1 - 2% TBE agarose gel.