Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis in the analysis of genomic DNA and YAC clones

Abstract

Abstract Since the first appearance of this book in 1986 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) has evolved from a newly developed technique (1) to a fundamental research tool indispensable to a modem human genetics laboratory. Initially, the technique was mainly used to separate very large DNA molecules, but more recently its potential for separating smaller DNA molecules and even its application in DNA sequencing (2) became evident. Applications of PFGE include physical mapping (3–6), size selection (7–9), the study of genetic rearrangements causing cancer and genetic disease (10–12) or underlying immunological variation (13), yeast artificial chromosome cloning (YAC) technology (7, 8, 14, 15), the separation of DNA molecules with specific structures, and applications in human and veterinary microbiology and parasitology (16, 17). To cope with the fast developments, especially of the technology, we had to completely revise the chapter published in the first edition (18).