BME100 f2013:W900 Group1 L4
BME 100 Fall 2013 | Home People Lab Write-Up 1 | Lab Write-Up 2 | Lab Write-Up 3 Lab Write-Up 4 | Lab Write-Up 5 | Lab Write-Up 6 Course Logistics For Instructors Photos Wiki Editing Help | |||||||||||||
OUR TEAMLAB 1 WRITE-UPInitial Machine TestingThe Original Design This is the Open PCR machine in its fully functional state. The machine uses a thermal cycler to have a small sample of DNA interact with added primers and Taq DNA polymerase in order to replicate desired strands of DNA at an exponential rate.
When we unplugged (part 3) from (part 6), the display stopped working because it became disconnected from the power source. At the same time, the connection to the circuit that contains the code to make the display work also became disconnected. This cable supplies both the power to run the LCD display as well as transfers the information to be displayed on the screen. Without this connection the LCD display cannot operate. When we unplugged the white wire that connects (part 6) to (part 2), the machine could not read the temperature of the micropipette holder. Thus, one would not be able to successfully perform PCR because of the obvious temperature discrepancies that would result. This white wire is actually a thermocouple which is used for measuring temperature. Without a correct temerature reading the OpenPCR is unable to regulate and change temperature to perform PCR.
Started test run at 10:06 a.m. on October 23, 2013. The machine made it through 12 of the 35 cycles in an hour, with two hours and ten minutes remaining. The process appeared to run without any interruptions or complications, however the rate of progress was slower than expected.
ProtocolsThermal Cycler Program
PCR reaction, 8 tubes, 50 μL each: Mix contains Taq DNA polymerase, MgCl2, and dNTP's.
DNA/ primer mix, 8 tubes, 50 μL each: Each mix contains a different template DNA. All tubes have the same forward primer and reverse primer.
Research and DevelopmentPCR - The Underlying Technology Functions Steps of Thermal Cycling DNA Pairing
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