Cutting the Bands

• Fill appropriate number of 500 µL PCR tubes with 50 µL of 10 mM Tris buffer
• Carefully slide the gel onto the wetted transilluminator plate (wetting the edges of the gel is helpful)
• Wearing protective equipment, turn on the transmitted UV switch
• Using a sterilized scalpel (cleaned with 70% ethanol), cut along the top and bottom edges of the band
• Snip the left and right edges of the band with sterilized forceps (cleaned with 70% ethanol)
• Remove the excised band and place in corresponding PCR tube
• Repeat as necessary
• Store tubes at 4oC for three to five days to allow DNA to diffuse into the buffer