Alu PV92 PCR
In our second lab of the year, following the micropipetting practice, we jump straight into examining one of the strands of our own DNA. The strand that we are examining is alu, one of the most abundant elements in the human genome. One of the biggest uses of alu is tracking the migrations of mankind in our global journey. In this lab, we use some of our own cheek cells from which we isolate our DNA. Then, we amplify the strand, and analyze our genotype. Using our genotype, we can make inferences on the genotype of our parents. This first real lab was a nice introduction into what the year will be like, and if the following experiments are as fun as this one, this year will pass by just as quickly as the last!