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Learn how UV radiation causes DNA mutations. Read about about the mechanisms that lead to skin cancer and the detrimental effects that UV light can have on our DNA-based experiments.
Using ethanol precipitation to isolate or concentrate your nucleic acids? Find out how this routinely used technique works, and get tips to produce the best results.
Discover top strategies for optimizing nuclei extraction and learn how to adapt protocols for improved single-cell sequencing outcomes.
Nucleic acid extraction kits are routinely used in today’s molecular biology labs. Read on to learn more about what is inside these black boxes of wonder and how you can get the best results for your preps.
Plasmid maps are a cornerstone of biology, but they are confusing to read for beginners. Our easy guide tells you how to read them, where to look for essential information, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Most experiments start with a piece of DNA—either plasmid DNA or genomic DNA. And your downstream uses for it dictate how much you need, what contaminants you can tolerate, and your extraction and purification methods. In this article, we explain the key differences between plasmid and genomic DNA extraction methods.
We must lyse cells to extract our samples, but which cell lysis method is best for your cells? Read this article to learn about eight excellent methods.
Struggling with your cloning? It could be time to try blunt-end cloning. This easy introduction explains what it is, when to use it, and how.
Discover what RNA quality control is, why it’s so important for your experiments, and how to undertake it with these 3 key considerations.
You may be familiar with standard single fragment ligations, but did you know you can ligate multiple fragments into your vector all at the same time! Discover how to perform multiple fragment ligation, including the different methods and troubleshooting tips for when things go wrong.
Got non-specific PCR amplification? You need touchdown PCR! Discover what it is, how it works, and get 5 top tips for performing touchdown PCR.
Pouring and running an agarose gel should be a simple and routine procedure, but there are a surprising number of ways to destroy your agarose gel.
Are you having problems amplifying GC-rich regions in your PCR reactions? Read this article for 5 easy tips to address these issues!
Can’t be bothered doing a qPCR standard curve? Find out why it’s important to getting great results and how to do it.
Here we take a closer look at plasmid copy number and examine how it can be manipulated in the lab giving you flexibility in your work.
Understanding the basic (and simple!) chemistry behind DNA ligation will help you get better DNA ligation results. Learn all about it here.
Are your plasmid preps giving your poor yields? We’ve got 11 reasons that might be causing it and how to fix them.
Discover ways to perform total RNA extraction from TRIzol to kit-based and even old-school methods.
We’ll show you how to make a DIY stock of chemically competent E. coli, the workhorse in the molecular biology laboratory.
We’re all familiar with DNA and RNA. But have you heard of xeno nucleic acids (XNAs)? Read on to find out how they can be applied in biological research, and how you can start using them in your experiments.
Understanding how DNA extraction kits work is the key to troubleshooting your extraction issues.
Are you struggling with your phenol-chloroform extraction or just looking to maximize the nucleic acid you retrieve? Then read our expert advice to improve your technique.
Phenol extraction is a common method for removing proteins from nucleic acids. Discover how phenol extraction of DNA works.
Discover how the luciferase reporter assay works and how to get starting using it in your research.
Want to use Gateway cloning or having trouble using this technology? Find out how it works and get helpful tips to increase your success.
Need to brush up on your alternative splicing knowledge? We’re here to help with our guide to this splicing mechanism.
Do you know your transfections from your transductions? We explain the differences between three of the most commonly used ways of introducing foreign DNA.
Discover what you need for successful DNA precipitation and how to choose between ethanol and isopropanol solvents.
Alkaline lysis for plasmid isolation? That’s like the ABCs in a molecular biology lab. Read this detailed article to understand the process behind this common technique.
Why do you get three bands when running uncut plasmid DNA on agarose gels. Discover the answer and how it can help improve your DNA plasmid preps.
Want to know more about ethanol grades commonly used in the lab? We help you make sense of your flammables cabinet with our rundown of the ethanol grades typically used in molecular biology, as well as some important rules for how to use them correctly.
Are you struggling with your DNA clean-up? Then check out our top five methods so you can pick the best option for your experiments.
Check out our agarose gel hacks for troubleshooting your blurry or uneven bands, and tips for getting picture-perfect agarose gel images every time.
A quick look at the first steps of metaphase spreads – the break down on breaking down your cells and the factors to keep in mind.
Want to increase siRNA stability and efficiency? Read on to learn five chemical modifications that will help.
While DNA and RNA extraction is a pretty common technique, it isn’t always the easiest. Read on to learn some top tips on how to successfully extract nucleic acids from even the toughest samples, like Arabidopsis seeds.
Mitochondrial DNA isolation can be time-consuming and laborious. Find out how to minimise the time needed for its extraction, while ensuring fantastic results.
When it comes to profiling miRNAs there are lots of platforms available. We discuss the pros and cons of various miRNA profiling methods to help you choose the right one for your needs.
T4 DNA ligase is the swiss army knife of ligases, but it can’t always do it all. Find out what it’s good at and the alternatives available for the things it struggles with.
Restriction digests are the cornerstone of many techniques. Here are some great tips on setting up and troubleshooting them.
The eBook with top tips from our Researcher community.