Rationale: Perform Gel electrophoresis to test the presence of bacteriophage DNA clusters after performing PCR with three primers.

Procedure: 

 Before the experiment was performed, the workspace was cleaned with both Cidecon and 70% Ethanol. 4omL of TBE and 0.8g of Agarose was added into a 250mL hydro flask. The solution was microwaved for 2 minutes and placed to cool. The solution was then poured onto a plate to solidify. Once the solution solidified, TBE was filled up to the wells, and DNA ladder was placed into the first well. Primers 1, 2, and 3 plus DNA dye solutions were added to the next three wells, next to the DNA ladder. Once the solutions were placed into the wells, the VMR  was plugged in, and it ran for 45 minutes and the results were imaged.

Results from Gel electrophoresis

Observations: 

Placing DNA dye into wells was hard since some of the Primer/DNA dye solutions was not placed into the wells, but diffused into the Gel made. Starting the VMR was hard as well since it was not set correctly/turned on/chords not plugged in correctly.

Conclusions:

Gel electrophoresis was nice to do and this test is faster than running multiple plaque assays/spot tests since no contamination factors can ruin a Gel Electrophoresis. If the experiment comes back to be negative:

• Collect new soil
• Perform PCR experiment and alternate the variables.

If the experiment comes back to be positive, perform spot test and plaque assay, knowing that phage is present in the soil sample.