Agarose
Agarose
Agarose (/əˈɡærəˌroʊz/) is a polysaccharide, generally extracted from certain seaweed species. It is most commonly used in the field of molecular biology for the separation of large molecules, especially DNA and RNA, by electrophoresis.
Etymology
The term "Agarose" is derived from "Agar-agar", a type of seaweed from which it is extracted, and "-ose", a suffix used in biochemistry to form names of sugars.
Usage
Agarose is used in a variety of applications in molecular biology. Its primary use is in the creation of agarose gel electrophoresis gels for the separation of nucleic acids. It is also used in immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis techniques due to its large pore size, which allows for the diffusion of proteins.
Related Terms
- Agar: A gelatinous substance derived from seaweed, used in culture media for bacteria and other microorganisms.
- Gel Electrophoresis: A technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or protein molecules based on their size and charge.
- Polysaccharide: A type of carbohydrate with a high molecular weight, consisting of a number of sugar molecules bonded together.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Agarose
- Wikipedia's article - Agarose
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