LABS 4&5 MINI REPORT

Refer to the general guidelines for Mini Lab Reports on Canvas, found here (link opens in a new tab): Lab Mini Reports

This is the first time you will write the Discussion section. The following video walks through how to write a good Discussion section:

Methods

Since you have written the methods section, it is now left more up to you to decide what to include. Be sure to include, generally, appropriate information on:

• the two Gibson Assembly reactions, include the DNA amount used
• the transformation
• the mini-prep
• the digestive enzyme digestion
• the gel making, running and imaging

A few general reminders:

• Someone with a scientific background should be able to repeat your experiment by reading your Methods section
• You do not need to include detailed protocols for standard lab procedures, such as DNA purification
• Avoid volumes as much as possible; however, note that this may not always be possible

 Results

Include the following information:

• Start with a recap statement on the purpose of the project.
• State how many colonies resulted from each of the DNA amounts used, including the negative control. Include separate counts of blue versus white colonies in a table.
• You should describe any figure/table in the Results section
• Be careful not to add Discussion text here! Your Results should describe what you observed, not why you think you observed it.
• If you got no colonies:
  • State that you did not obtain any colonies – do not report data from another student’s plate or the instructor plate.
• Gel of the restriction digest screen, appropriately labeled. Remember a good figure legend.
• Analyze the gel by describing all the samples and comparing the lanes to one another (particularly to the controls)
• State how many of the colonies from your cloning were positive and how you know.

Discussions 

Include the following information:

• Recap what your results were in one sentence.
• Discuss the ratio of blue/white colonies you obtained; comment on the possible identity of the blue colonies.
• Discuss the difference in colony numbers you obtained between reaction 1 and 2.
  • If you have no colonies, you should include a statement on why you may have found no colonies and how to improve.
• Discuss the result of the gel electrophoresis. Were any of the clones positive? Was the results expected?
  • If any of your clones were negative or could not be determined based on the gel, state the size of the observed DNA band(s) and explain what you think it could be.
• What would you do to improve the overall cloning strategy, so that you could obtain more positives, and/or a higher percent of positives? (Think of steps that could be further optimized or additional steps that could be added to the protocol. Give 2-3 suggestions for full credit. Note that “re-do this lab without screwing it up” will not count as one of the two. Though, obviously, you should do that.)