Transformation and gel wet lab
Run a bacterial transformation and a gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments.
Wet lab data record: transformation plate colony counts for each condition, gel photograph with labeled lanes, raw band position measurements, and one result comparison to pre-lab prediction.
- 1Do thisRun a bacterial transformation and a gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisLab report: Wet lab data record: transformation plate colony counts for each condition, gel photograph with labeled lanes, raw band position measurements, and one result comparison to pre-lab prediction.
- 4Submit it here
- 1CMSD website. Go to clevelandmetroschools.org and click the Clever button.
- 2Clever. Clever opens. Sign in if it asks.
- 3Microsoft (district) login. Use your district Microsoft account (the one for school).
- 4Schoology. Open Schoology, then your class, then Assignments, and find the file named below.
The file to submit is named: Biotechnology for Health (Biomedical Innovations) › Transformation, antibiotic selection, plasmid extraction, restriction digest, gel interpretation. › Lab reportOpen Schoology
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning — make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure — the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities — you open it through Schoology.
Minute-by-minute · 80-minute block
💡 Big idea: Transformation and gel electrophoresis are the two foundational techniques of recombinant DNA work.
- 0-10 minSafety briefing; confirm PPE; review transformation and gel procedures
- 10-30 minPrepare competent cells and plasmid; perform heat-shock transformation; plate on selective and control media
- 30-50 minSet up restriction digest; prepare gel; load samples and DNA ladder
- 50-65 minRun gel; photograph result; record band positions in lab notebook
- 65-75 minInitiate cleanup; autoclave or bleach-treat all transformed cultures per protocol
- 75-80 minExit ticket: note one result that matched and one that surprised you
- • This is a wet lab day. Everyone follows the safety protocol before touching any reagents.
- • We run two procedures back to back: heat-shock transformation and gel electrophoresis.
- • Your pre-lab predictions from yesterday are your roadmap: check them against your real results.
- • Record everything as you go; data recorded after the fact is not reliable.
- 1Follow safety protocol and prepare your competent cells and plasmid.
- 2Perform the heat-shock transformation and plate on selective and control media.
- 3Set up a restriction digest of plasmid DNA.
- 4Load digested samples and a DNA ladder into the agarose gel.
- 5Run the gel and record band positions.
- • You completed a transformation with proper controls.
- • Your gel separated fragments alongside a DNA ladder.
- • Gel electrophoresis separates DNA fragments by size: smaller fragments migrate farther through the gel matrix.
- • A DNA ladder provides known fragment sizes that allow you to estimate unknown band sizes by comparison.
- • Plate controls verify both that the transformation worked and that contamination is absent.
Your PLTW work today
Transformation, antibiotic selection, plasmid extraction, restriction digest, gel interpretation. · Transformation and gel wet lab
Day 3 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Problem 6 in your myPLTW course shell and navigate to the transformation and gel activity, then run the wet lab and record raw plate data and gel band positions.
Record your raw transformation plate data and gel band positions in the Problem 6 portfolio.
The transformation notes are done; wet lab data collection is the central Problem 6 milestone, so check your activity guide.
Lab notebook data page with plate counts and gel photo submitted by end of class.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction. Submit producibles on Schoology.
Today's PLTW tracker
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible on Schoology.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Transformation, antibiotic selection, plasmid extraction, restriction digest, gel interpretation. · Transformation and gel wet lab
Open Problem 6 in your myPLTW course shell and navigate to the transformation and gel activity, then run the wet lab and record raw plate data and gel band positions.
The transformation notes are done; wet lab data collection is the central Problem 6 milestone, so check your activity guide.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Run a bacterial transformation and a gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments.
- Follow safety protocol and prepare your competent cells and plasmid.
- Perform the heat-shock transformation and plate on selective and control media.
- Set up a restriction digest of plasmid DNA.
- Load digested samples and a DNA ladder into the agarose gel.
- Run the gel and record band positions.
Lab report: Wet lab data record: transformation plate colony counts for each condition, gel photograph with labeled lanes, raw band position measurements, and one result comparison to pre-lab prediction.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Follow safety protocol and prepare your competent cells and plasmid. | _______ |
| Perform the heat-shock transformation and plate on selective and control media. | _______ |
| Set up a restriction digest of plasmid DNA. | _______ |
| Load digested samples and a DNA ladder into the agarose gel. | _______ |
| Run the gel and record band positions. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You completed a transformation with proper controls.
- Your gel separated fragments alongside a DNA ladder.
Teacher-posted resources
Classroom documents for this lesson. Ones marked “Open the file” open right here; the rest are posted in Schoology. Use the label on each card to choose the right move.
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Transformation, gel electrophoresis, molecular evidence by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/6.1_Molecular-Biology; keywords:transformation, plasmid, molecular. Score 146. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Transformation, gel electrophoresis, molecular evidence by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/6.1_Molecular-Biology; keywords:gel, molecular. Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Transformation, gel electrophoresis, molecular evidence by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/6.1_Molecular-Biology; keywords:transformation, molecular. Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
How to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Lab & supplies
- • Wear gloves, goggles, and lab coat for the entire lab; remove before leaving the lab area.
- • All bacterial cultures and plates are biohazardous: do not bring outside the lab, do not touch your face.
- • Decontaminate all materials that contact bacteria with 10 percent bleach for at least 20 minutes before disposal.
- • Autoclave or bleach-treat all transformed plates and liquid cultures; do not put in regular trash.
- • Use UV transilluminator only with proper eye protection; UV causes corneal and skin damage.
- • If using ethidium bromide, handle only in designated area; it is a mutagen and requires dedicated waste disposal.
- • Report any spill, broken glass, or skin contact with reagents to the teacher immediately.
- • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving the lab.
- • The water bath is hot: use tube holders, not bare hands, when removing samples.
- • Keep gel apparatus lid closed while power is on; electrical shock risk from buffer contact.
WebXam practice
Cumulative WebXam review
A quick mixed-review pulling questions from earlier units plus today, so the WebXam material stays fresh.
Where this leads — careers
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
What to do if you were absent
Analyze the provided transformation plate photos and gel images: count colonies on each plate and estimate fragment sizes against the ladder.
Learn.Genetics gel electrophoresisThen submit your Lab report on Schoology.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
Learn.Genetics (University of Utah): gel electrophoresisOptional extra credit (async)
You've passed Unit 2, so the optional extra-credit track is open. Complete reserved-unit work from home (virtual labs included) for extra credit, all submitted on Schoology.
Open the extra-credit track- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed.
Drop your Thu, Apr 22, 2027 · Transformation and gel wet lab here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project