A computer program allows the separation of a wide range of chromosome sizes by pulsed field gel electrophoresis

Abstract

The introduction of Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis techniques, which allow the separation of DNA molecules of molecular weights as high as chromosomes of lower eukaryotes, has given a powerful tool to geneticists. The resolution expected from these techniques is dependent on numerous parameters, among them pulse time and field strength. A given set of these parameters allows only a limited range of molecular weights to be resolved. To allow the separation of a broader molecular weight range on a single gel, we designed a computer program, driving a simple switching device, to take care of switching electrodes and power supplies in OFAGE migrations. This program has been designed to be used with any technique calling for periodic switching or inversion of the electric field, and/or variation of the electric field applied during electrophoresis. As an example, we show the results obtained with yeast genera in which chromosome sizes range from 260 to 9,000 kilobase pairs.