Safely Analysing DNA and RNA from Essential Forage Crops

Syngene is pleased to announce its G:BOX EF gel documentation system is being used by scientists in a prestigious plant breeding centre at Aberystwyth University in Wales to help map the DNA and RNA from commercially important forage crops.

Molecular biologists at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University are using a G:BOX EF imaging system to accurately analyse agarose gels containing red and white clover DNA and RNA stained with GelRed™ Nucleic Acid Gel Stain. The information from the gels is being used to map clover genes and is in the long term, helping scientists at
the IBERS to produce new varieties that can tolerate environmental stresses and are more nutritious feed stocks.

Charlotte Jones, Laboratory Manager at IBERS, said: “Clovers are very important as they are primarily used in high quality animal feed but are also a good source of pollen for bees to make honey from. To analyse specific genes from the new varieties we breed, we visualise small amounts of DNA and RNA stained with GelRed™. We prefer to use GelRed because it is safer than Ethidium bromide but not as sensitive.”

Mrs Jones added: “We purchased a G:BOX EF because the system is easy to programme and the camera detects the GelRed bands well, allowing us to see 5-20 nanogram amounts. The GeneTools software is great, as we can set up our own results folders and the printer also reproduces precise pictures of all the different coloured images from the screen. In short, the system is perfect for our research.”