Electrophoretic mobility shift assay
Imagine there are two teams in a game of soccer - the players on one team want to score a goal, while the players on the other team want to stop them from scoring. In this game, the ball is actually a small piece of DNA or protein that the first team wants to move around, but the second team wants to keep in one place.
To play this game, we need a special field that has a gel-like substance in it. This field has little holes or channels where the ball, or piece of DNA/protein, can move through.
Now, here's where it gets a little tricky. When we add a special sauce to the field, it creates an electric field that flows through the gel. This electric field creates a force that moves the ball, or piece of DNA/protein, through the gel. But, if the second team (proteins) manages to grab hold of the ball (DNA) while it's moving through the gel, they can stop it from moving any further. This is the electrophoretic mobility shift assay!
Scientists use this game to study how different proteins interact with DNA. By carefully selecting the size and shape of the ball, as well as the type of special sauce used, they can see which proteins are able to grab onto the ball and which ones are not. This helps them understand how different proteins work together to control what happens in living cells.
To play this game, we need a special field that has a gel-like substance in it. This field has little holes or channels where the ball, or piece of DNA/protein, can move through.
Now, here's where it gets a little tricky. When we add a special sauce to the field, it creates an electric field that flows through the gel. This electric field creates a force that moves the ball, or piece of DNA/protein, through the gel. But, if the second team (proteins) manages to grab hold of the ball (DNA) while it's moving through the gel, they can stop it from moving any further. This is the electrophoretic mobility shift assay!
Scientists use this game to study how different proteins interact with DNA. By carefully selecting the size and shape of the ball, as well as the type of special sauce used, they can see which proteins are able to grab onto the ball and which ones are not. This helps them understand how different proteins work together to control what happens in living cells.