To minimize self-ligated vector in your transformation, treat your linearized vector with a phosphatase to remove the 5' phosphates necessary for ligation. This should improve the percentage of colonies with inserts. - [Read Phosphatase Treatment of Linearized Vector Protocol]
Protocol describes a method for preparing siliconized pipettes. Such pipettes minimize the loss of embryos or embryonic tissues during transfer. - [Read Preparing Siliconized Pipettes Protocol]
Protocol uses FAM-(6-carboxy-fluorescein) or JOE-(6-carboxy-4', 5' -dichloro-2',7' -dimethoxy-fluorescein) labeled LUX (Light Upon eXtension) primers, which can quantify 100 or fewer copies of the target DNA in a background of nonspecific templates, over a broad dynamic range of less than 100-107 copies. It uses uracil deglycosylase (UDG) to minimize the risk of carryover contamination, and includes a melting curve analysis of the product. - [Read Real-Time PCR Protocol]
DEAE-dextran is generally used to obtain a burst of transient expression of cloned genes after transfection of mammalian cells. Many variants of the technique have been described, all of which seek to maximize the uptake of DNA and to minimize the cytotoxic effects of DEAE-dextran. In this protocol cells are exposed briefly to a high concentration of DEAE-dextran-DNA and then to chloroquine diphosphate, which is a facilitator of transfection. - [Read Transfection Mediated by DEAE-Dextran: High-efficiency Method Protocol]
This Microarray Protocol Preparation of Fluorescent DNA Probes from Human mRNA protocol describes the production of probes labeled with the fluorescent dyes, Cy3 and Cy5, following the synthesis of cDNA from human mRNA and the hybridization of the probes to DNA microarrays.
3' Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends RACE Using PCR Protocol. This protocol contains the steps for 3' end rapid amplification of mRNA by PCR. The first-strand cDNA is synthesized from total or poly(A+) RNA by priming from the poly-A tail of the mRNA using a oligo (dT) adaptor primer. The cDNA is then amplified via PCR using a gene-specific primer and an adaptor primer.