DNA Hybridization: Southern Blot

Interactive, scaffolded model

Overview and Learning Objectives

Laboratory techniques such as Southern Blot, fingerprinting, and genetic engineering all make use of the weak attractions that allow DNA to hybridize, or bind to, other nucleotides. In this activity students explore partial and complete hybridization, manipulate binding with temperature, and design their own probe.

Laboratory techniques such as Southern Blot and fingerprinting all make use of the weak attractions that allow DNA to hybridize, or bind to, other nucleotides.

Students will be able to:

• modify short segments of DNA so that they hybridize with other strands;
• explain the difference between hybridization and denaturation, and how these concepts relate to the Southern Blot procedure;
• design a DNA probe.

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Assessment

http://www.concord.org/~barbara/workbench_web/pdf/AssessmentSouthBlot_fin3.pdf

or

within the Molecular Workbench

http://www.concord.org/~barbara/workbench_web/jnlps/AssessmentSouthBlot.jnlp

RUBRIC

http://www.concord.org/~barbara/workbench_web/pdf/southern_blot_rubric8bt.pdf

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Central Concepts

Key Concept:

Additional Related Concepts

Molecular Biology

• Complementarity
• DNA

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Textbook References

• Biology (Miller and Levine) Prentice Hall 5th Edition - Unit 2: Chapter 7 - Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
• Biology (Miller and Levine) Prentice Hall 5th Edition - Unit 2: Genetic Engineering
• Biology (Miller and Levine) Prentice Hall 5th Edition - Unit 3: Chapter 9 - Introduction to Genetics
• Biology (Prentice-Hall) New York Edition - Chapter 12: DNA and RNA
• Biology (Prentice-Hall) New York Edition - Chapter 13 - Genetic Engineering
• Biology: Concepts and Connections (Pearson) 5th Edition - Chapter 12: DNA Technology and the Human Genome
• Cell Biology (Pollard and Earnshaw) Saunders 2002 - Chapter Five: Research Strategies
• Web of Life - Chapter 7: DNA, Genes and Chromosomes

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Benchmarks and Standards

AAAS

• THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT: CELLS - The genetic information encoded in DNA molecules provides instructions for assembling protein molecules (Full Text of Standard)
  
  

NSES

• Physical-Science: Matter Structure/Properties - 4 The physical properties of compounds reflect the nature of the interactions (Full Text of Standard)
  
  
• Science as Inquiry: 1 Identify questions and concepts (Full Text of Standard)
  
  
• Science as Inquiry: 3 Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications (Full Text of Standard)
  
  
• Science as Inquiry: 4 Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models (Full Text of Standard)
  
  

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Activity Credits

Created by CC Project: Molecular Workbench using Molecular Workbench

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Requirements

• Java 1.5+ - Java 1.5+ is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X 10.4 and greater. If you are using Mac OS X 10.3, you can download MW Version 1.3 and explore within it instead.

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