Gel electrophoresis is a procedure used in laboratories to separate DNA, as well as RNA and proteins. A slab of gel is placed in a box filled with buffer and an electric field is applied. The negatively charged DNA will migrate to the positively charged side, where it can then be recorded and further analyzed. An example for the use of gel electrophoresis would be the identification of people. DNA is present in almost every cell of our body. Each person has a unique sequence of DNA base pairs that makes up our DNA fingerprint. The DNA fingerprint is the same for every cell, tissue and organ in a person. According to Dalya Rosner on the Naked Scientists website, "DNA fingerprinting is a technique for determining the likelihood that genetic material came from a particular individual or group. 99% of human DNA is identical between individuals, but l '1% that differ allows scientists to distinguish identity' (Rosner, 2004). This is an interesting fact and this is where the gel electrophoresis procedure can be used. Intact DNA is quite large and normally fails to move well through the pores of a simple agarose gel, without using a different method (pulsed field electrophoresis). To make the DNA easier to work with, it is first cut into smaller pieces with enzymes called restriction enzymes Restriction molecules recognize specific sequences in DNA and cut it at a specific site. Once the strands have been cut, they can be separated by gel electrophoresis. To begin the gel electrophoresis procedure, you need to purchase or make a gel. Agarose and polyacrylamide are the most common types of gels used. Polyacrylamide gels are usually used for proteins and small DNA fragments. I will focus more on the agarose gel. Agarose......middle of sheet......gel electrophoresis/6530DNA Learning Center. Biological animation center: gel electrophoresis. Retrieved 12/21/2013 from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, website: http://www.dnalc.org/resources/animations/gelelectrophoresis.htmlEspionage Information. Electrophoresis. Retrieved 12/21/2013 from Encyclopedia of Espionage, website: http://www.faqs.org/espionage/Ec-Ep/Electrophoresis.htmlLearn.Genetics. Virtual gel electrophoresis laboratory. Retrieved 12/21/2013 from University of Utah, website: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/labs/gel/Molecular Biology CyberLab. DNA gel electrophoresis. Retrieved 12-21-2013 from website: http://www.life.illinois.edu/molbio/geldigest/electro.htmlRosner D. (2004) How Does DNA Fingerprinting Work? Retrieved 12-21-2013 from The Naked Scientists, website: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/dalyacolumn8.htm/