Question for Biologists(primarily those with lab access)

[admiral_ju00]

Question for Sayonara or anyone else with lab access.

 

I'm looking for a ballpark figure on how much does it cost your lab to extract, replicate and analyze a short section of DNA(mtDNA really) - not counting the man-hours?

 

I have an idea for a project, but the Uni. deemed it inappropriate or at least not a good enough reason to proceed.

 

I'm trying to see if it may be cheaper/easier to go with this company's services and or why will my Uni not allow me to use it's gear. (Even though a sample of 500 will get extremely expensive with these guys.)

[Sayonara]

Do you know, I have no idea.

 

I never did anything with DNA in the lab. Bet the stupid genetics students did it all the time

[DeoxyriboNucleicAcid]

Warning: typos ahead

well there are less expensive ways.

You could do most of the difficult lab work by hand, as in extract the dna with an enzyme (detergent will work, but you will need to buy proper and specific enzymes for certain sections of dna.) You would want a whole bunch of test tubes, some isopropyl for extracting the dna (there is a specific process for extraction but im just listing materials yoiu ned to get.) After you take DNA out of something, you will want to study it, correct?

Well, a VERY USEFUL tool would be an electrophoresis tank. You will also need a micro pipitor, and some fluoresent (if thats how you spell it) dye. After you run the tank, you will need a camera that senses fluorescent light. You coul also hold a black light up to the electrophoresis tank and take a photo from that, but it is of much less quality.

If you know how to analyze electrophoresis "runs" as some call them, you will be able to study small parts of DNA.

 

If you would like some more detailed and clear procedures, don't hesitate to ask.

[MulderMan]

o ive seen that on the forensic files on discovery i think, where they use that precision pipette in the fish tank and take a picture with clear film? ignore me . but it still looks good. dont you have any friends in the uni or offer to pay for the things you use? that company does it all for you right, but if your like me youd want to do it yourself.

[daisy]

I've never worked with mtDNA just genomic DNA and RNA but you'd need the mtDNA to be really pure for any successful study. There are various differential centrifugation procedures utilising sucrose gradients and caesium chloride gradients to accomplish this...a google search will guide you as to the best. I don't know about pricing in the US so I don't know if the company you highlighted are fairly priced or even offering a quality service (quality is everything in the molecular biology game). What do you mean when you say the Uni deemed your project idea inappropriate...do you mean on entirely cost-based analysis or did they have other concerns about the study design as a whole?

[admiral_ju00]

First of all, thanks to all that replied.

 

Daisy, the Uni deemed it inappropriate as they don't see any valid reasons of letting me do something that will basically satisfy my own curiosity, that and after all we learn by experience right? I'm not qualified enough (yet) to simply barge on in to the Kentucky's Archaeological Society and ask them the same question so that I can use their gear(performing my project, I will or at least want to do it all myself or as much of it as I can).

 

The sample I have in mind is 500, for obvious reasons, but at the very minimum I'm guessing a sample of 50 might do.

 

For this experiment I'm not really interested in studying the mtDNA, just looking for raw datum. Want to compare the Control region of mtDNA and look for mutation for a particular animal population(dogs, I have a bunch of bones(which are fairly recent) which should have adequate doses of DNA either in teeth or bone marrow, so I don't think more then 10-20 PCR cycles will be needed to get me what I need in quantity, provided that I don't manage to contaminate the samples.)

 

If you would like some more detailed and clear procedures, don't hesitate to ask

 

DeoxyriboNecleicAcid, the info I've already been told or have, *should* do the trick, but I'll(I'm not an expert of this or to too full of pride ) take anything you're willing to give me on this as well. Books that you'd recommend or Links. Even if it is to compare to what I have and what You have. I like that home method example you've given in the above post, (for some reason I didn't think I'll be able to do it w/o the proper equipment, but if you think I can, then and if you don't mind, please share some more).

 

{edit}

 

These guys seem to have the nessessary kits: http://www.bioline.com/n_usa.htm

 

But for one thing, i'll need to get a centrifugal device, fridge, enzime kits, etc.

Basically I need a Lab, Damnit!!!

Oh I see this getting very expensive, very quick. GRRRR