S4 38: Next Experimental Steps

Next Experimental Steps
After a successful assay, the next steps in the experiment require re-streaking colonies onto other plates. After the colonies grow, then we will perform a mini-prep. The purpose of a mini-prep is to extract the DNA plasmid from yeast and E-coli cells. During this experimental step, we will be extracting the plasmids from yeast cells. I also think that this might be a good stopping point in the semester. I will resume this experiment this upcoming fall semester.

S4 37: I love Liquid Nitrogen

I love Liquid Nitrogen

I am getting to the point in my lab project where I get to do an assay again. I remember liking this part in the experiment because I was able to use liquid nitrogen. This procedure is a little longer than an alternative procedure that we found but I like using LN so much that it's worth the extra time in the lab. The point of this procedure is to allow us to identify if a colony of yeast cells express the β-galactosidase enzyme expression. When β-galactosidase bind to the X-Gal, it cleave the molecule which then makes a blue pigment, which is very evident. This activity indicated that there is the LacZ gene was transcribed and translated. 

S4 36: Back in the Swing

Back in the Swing
This week in the lab, I went through all 30 plates to determine which colonies were abundantly grown on our -T,L plates that had added 3AT and Bexarotene. I was able to pick off 54 colonies to use in our next phase of the experiment. The process I completed this week was streaking the 54 colonies onto -T,L plates to see which colonies will regrow. After that step, I will perform a Lac Z assay on the remaining colonies. I am a fan of the Lac Z assay because that means playing with...I mean "utilizing" liquid nitrogen during the experiment.

S4 35: Too Hyped to Science

Too Hyped to Science
It was a bit of a struggle to be in the lab today but it wasn't because I didn't want to be there. This entire week I have struggled a bit with maintaining my attention span and felt like a squirrel. I have also been pretty fatigued this week by all the school work. I think it showed in the lab today when I kept having to restart certain steps over and reread the procedure every 5 seconds. I even lost an hour of work by making a tiny mistake that I usually don't make. It was definitely my most spacey day in the lab but I got through it.