Lab Kit Purchased from

Pre-Lab Questions

1. What are the three types of RNA found in a cell?
2. What will serve as the source of RNA during this lab?
3. Why is RNA isolation such a difficult process?
4. If you are successful extracting RNA, what banding pattern to you expect to see on the gel?

Analysis

1. Why did you crush the rose bush leaf?                                                                                                  
2. What is the purpose of the Extraction Buffer?                                                                                                                                        
3. What is the purpose of the Precipitating Buffer?                                                                                                                                 
4. After adding the Extraction and Precipitating buffers, you centrifuged the sample.  Did you save the pellet or supernatant?  Why?
5. What is the purpose of Ethanol?                                                           
6. What is the purpose of the RNA Matrix?
7. What is the purpose of the Wash I and Wash II buffers?                                  
8. After adding each of the wash buffers, you centrifuged the sample.  Did you save the pellet or supernatant in each case?  Why?
9. What is the purpose of the Elution Buffer?
10. After adding the Elution buffer, you centrifuged the sample. Did you save the pellet or supernatant?  Why?
11. Study this picture of a gel supplied by G-BioSciences.  Explain the results.