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Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to get a basic understanding of laboratory procedures and to
learn about PCR (polymerase chain reaction), which is a technology used in Biotech to
copy strands of DNA. The lab also serves to teach us about the importance of
thoroughly reading directions and following the instructions carefully and correctly.
Further, it highlights the importance of labeling things so no DNA gets mixed up.
Hypothesis
If we use PCR to find the frequency of the alu insert in my DNA, then I can figure out
whether I am heterozygous or homozygous.
Observations
Due to a number of possible errors, our class was unable to figure out individual
genotypes. One possible error could be that we used cubed ice instead of crushed ice. I
also labeled my own DNA with small writing that rubbed off, so I had to guess which one
mine was out of the many that were also rubbed off, which caused much uncertainty.
Another error could have been from improper pipette use. We either could have pipetted
too far or too little, resulting in inconsistent amounts of liquid transferred. Also the PCR
machine could have been on the wrong settings.
Data/Results and Analysis