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OPERATION MANUAL
EDGE
™
Integrated Electrophoresis System
3
Instructions:
CASTING AN AGAROSE GEL
Note: Always follow the instructions for your experiment to determine the concentration of agarose required for your
specific samples.
1.
PREPARE
the agarose gel solution by combining agarose powder and electrophoresis buffer according to the
recipe in your protocol and microwaving until fully dissolved. The EDGE™ is optimized for 30-50 mL gels.
2.
COOL the agarose solution to 60 °C with careful swirling to promote even dissipation of heat.
3. While the agarose is cooling,
SEAL the ends of the gel-casting tray with the rubber end caps. PLACE the com-
b(s) into the appropriate notch.
4. Follow the instructions provided with your experiment to
ADD SYBR® Safe stain to the cooled agarose solu-
tion.
Note: For general experiments we recommend a 1:10,000 to 1:20,000 dilution of SYBR® Safe.
5.
POUR
the agarose solution into the gel-casting tray and wait until the gel has solidified. Most gels will be
ready to use within 15 minutes.
6.
REMOVE the end caps and comb from the tray. Take care when removing the comb to prevent damage to the
wells. The gel is now ready to use.
RUNNING AN AGAROSE GEL IN THE EDGE™
1.
PLACE
the gel (on the tray) into the electrophoresis chamber and ensure the chamber is placed firmly into the
EDGE™ base. The chamber should sit firmly onto the base with both electrodes touching the metal contacts
on the base. The electrophoresis chamber should sit flush against the bottom of the EDGE™ base unit.
2.
COVER
the gel with 1x electrophoresis buffer, being careful to not overfill the chamber. For best results the
buffer should be approximately 0.5 cm above the surface of the gel. Ensure that the gel tray is aligned in the
center of the chamber.
3.
LOAD the DNA samples into the wells according to the experiment protocol.
4.
LOWER the orange safety lid and check that is it tightly closed.
5. Using the arrow buttons,
ADJUST the timer to reach the desired value. For most experiments we recommend
not exceeding 30 minutes before checking on the progress of your samples.
6.
SELECT the desired voltage, 100V or 150V using the voltage selector buttons. An orange LED will indicate
which voltage has been selected.
7.
PRESS the START/STOP button to begin the run. Bubbles will form near the electrodes. The power will not
turn on if:
•
The cover is not correctly placed on the base
•
The electrodes in the chamber are not making contact with the EDGE™ base
•
The buffer in the chamber is incorrect or the buffer volume is too low.
8. At any time during the experiment,
PRESS the ON/OFF paddle at the base of the EDGE™ to illuminate the gel
using the blue LEDS.
9. After electrophoresis is complete,
PRESS the START/STOP button to stop the current, document the results of
the experiment, and then open the lid to dispose of the gel and electrophoresis buffer.
DOCUMENTING YOUR RESULTS
At any point during or after the experiment has completed, the results can be documented by using a camera
or smartphone to take an image through the orange safety lid. Dimming the lights in the room can increase the
visibility of DNA if needed.
