Courses : Forest Ecology Lecturer :Frischa Adellia Semester : 4thSemester, 2022/2023 Session Separation By Electrophoresis Separation by electrophoresis is a method of separating substances based on differences in their mobility in an electric field. The basic principle of electrophoresis is that electrically charged particles, such as DNA molecules, proteins, or RNA fragments, will move in solution when subjected to an electric field. This movement is influenced by the electrical load of the particles and by their physical properties. The electrophoresis process usually involves the use of a medium, such as agarose or polyacrylamide gel, in which the sample to be separated is placed. When an electric field is applied, the charged particles in the sample will move towards electrodes that have the opposite electric charge. This movement will cause the particles to separate based on their size, electric charge, and shape. Electrophoresis is used widely in a variety of applications, including the separation and analysis of DNA in molecular biology, the separation of proteins in biochemistry, the analysis of genetic mutations, and the separation of RNA fragments in genetic research. This technique is also frequently used in the pharmaceutical industry for drug analysis and in forensics for the identification of DNA traces. Thus, electrophoresis is a very useful and important method in chemistry, biology and industry that allows the separation of electrically charged substances based on the difference in their mobility in an electric field. In electrophoresis, there are several technique variants depending on the type of sample and the purpose of the separation. Some of these include: 1. Agarose gel electrophoresis: This is a commonly used technique for separating DNA or RNA fragments based on their size. DNA or RNA samples are loaded into wells made of agarose gel, and then subjected to an electric field. The DNA or RNA fragments then move through the gel according to their size, with larger fragments moving more slowly than smaller ones. 2. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: This technique is similar to agarose gel electrophoresis, but uses a polyacrylamide gel which has smaller pores, thus allowing fragment separation with higher resolution, especially for the separation of proteins and smaller DNA fragments. 3. Capillary electrophoresis: In capillary electrophoresis, a sample is placed in a very thin glass capillary, and then subjected to an electric field. This technique is often used in DNA analysis for forensic and diagnostic applications, because it allows DNA separation with high resolution in a relatively short time. 4. Zone electrophoresis: In zone electrophoresis, the sample is placed on the surface of the gel in the form of a liquid or suspension. When an electric field is applied, the particles in the sample move according to their electric charge, which allows separation based on electric charge and size. With the help of electrophoresis, we can separate and analyze samples with a high degree of resolution, which is an important step in various scientific and industrial applications. This technique plays a key role in genetic analysis, protein purification, qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical compounds, as well as in scientific research involving the separation of complex components. In conclusion, electrophoresis is a technique for separating electrically charged substances which is very important in various scientific and industrial fields. This method utilizes differences in the mobility of charged particles in an electric field to separate and analyze samples based on various characteristics, such as size, charge, or molecular weight. With its various technical variants, such as agarose gel electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis, and zone electrophoresis, electrophoresis can be applied in various applications, including DNA analysis, protein separation, chemical compound analysis, and other scientific research. The advantages of electrophoresis include the ability to separate samples with a high degree of resolution, speed, sensitivity, and the ability to automate the process. This technique has become one of the main tools in fields such as molecular biology, biochemistry, forensics, and the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, an understanding of electrophoresis and the ability to apply it effectively is an important asset in scientific research and technological development in various fields.