Metaphor Agarose

MetaPhor® Agarose
High resolution agarose
Introduction
MetaPhor agarose is a high resolution agarose that challenges polyacrylamide. MetaPhor agarose is an intermediate melting temperature (75° C) agarose with twice the resolution capabilities of the finest-sieving agarose products. Using submarine gel electrophoresis, you can resolve PCR products and small DNA
fragments that differ in size by 2%.

Analytical Specifications
Gelling temperature (3%) = 35° C
Melting temperature (3%) = 75° C
Gel strength (3%) = 300 g/cm²
Applications
• High resolution separation of 20-800 bp DNA fragments
• Recovery of fragments under 800 bp
• Fine analysis of PCR? products
• AMPFLP, STR and tri- and tetranucleotide repeat analysis

Suggested Agarose Concentrations

Dye Mobility Table
Migration of double-stranded DNA in relation to Bromophenol Blue (BPB) and Xylene Cyanol (XC) in MetaPhor agarose gels.

Precautions
Always wear eye protection when dissolving agarose and guard yourself and others against scalding solutions.

Microwave Instructions for Agarose Preparation
1. Choose a beaker that is 2-4 times the volume of the solution.
2. Add chilled 1X or 0.5X electrophoresis buffer and a stir bar to the beaker.
3. Slowly sprinkle in the agarose powder while the solution is rapidly stirred.
4. Remove the stir bar if not Teflon® coated.
5. Soak the agarose in the buffer for 15 minutes before heating. This reduces the
tendency of the agarose solution to foam during heating.
6. Weigh the beaker and solution before heating.
7. Cover the beaker with plastic wrap.
8. Pierce a small hole in the plastic wrap for ventilation.

For agarose concentrations > 4%, the following additional steps will further help prevent the agarose solution from foaming during melting/dissolution:
a. Heat the beaker in the microwave oven on Medium power for 1 minute.
b. Remove the solution from the microwave.
c. Allow the solution to sit on the bench for 15 minutes.

9. Heat the beaker in the microwave oven on Medium power for 2 minutes.
10. Remove the beaker from the microwave oven. Caution: Any microwaved
solution may become superheated and foam over when agitated.
11. GENTLY swirl the beaker to resuspend any settled powder and gel pieces.
12. Reheat the beaker on HIGH power until the solution comes to a boil.
13. Hold at boiling point for 1 minute or until all of the particles are dissolved.
14. Remove the beaker from the microwave oven.
15. GENTLY swirl the beaker to thoroughly mix the agarose solution.
16. After dissolution, add sufficient hot distilled water to obtain the initial weight.
17. Mix thoroughly.
18. Cool the solution to 50-60°C prior to casting. Once the gel is cast, allow the
molten agarose to cool and gel at room temperature. The gel must then be placed at 4° C for 20 minutes to obtain optimal resolution and gel handling characteristics.

Hot Plate Instructions for Agarose Preparation
1 . Choose a beaker that is 2-4 times the volume of the solution.
2. Add chilled electrophoresis buffer and a stir bar to the beaker.
3. Slowly sprinkle the agarose powder while the solution is rapidly stirred.
4. Weigh the beaker and solution before heating.
5. Cover the beaker with plastic wrap.
6. Pierce a small hole in the plastic wrap for ventilation.
7. Bring the solution to a boil while stirring.
8. Maintain gentle boiling until all the agarose is dissolved (approximately 1 0
minutes).
9. Add sufficient hot distilled water to obtain the initial weight.
1 0. Mix thoroughly.
11 . Cool the solution to 50-60°C prior to casting. Once the gel is cast, allow the
molten agarose to cool and gel at room temperature. The gel must then be
placed at 4° C for 20 minutes to obtain optimal resolution and gel handling characteristics.

Ordering Information:

         These products may be used as in vitro medical devices in
         accordance with the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.