Gel Extraction Comb Trick

In this video, Dan shows you a very simple and useful trick that you can use during your gel extraction/purification protocol.
If you have lots of sample to load on the gel, and not a big enough well, you have to load into multiple wells. This means that you will have to cut out multiple bands, and still be careful to remove all the excess agarose.
A better approach is to use a comb that will make wider wells. Don't have a big comb? Don't worry, Dan will show you how to make one using just your standard comb and some tape.
Got your own trick? Leave a comment below!
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[@rolfw2336]

Nice! We are using this trick (taping together well combs) in our lab.

[@shinj.r2975]

Thank you so much

[@formallydehyde]

I just use 1-butanol to concentrate my sample and load it all into one well.

[@Cowboy_Consultants]

Wow

[@lifeishetic]

its a good idea but by doing this you only make loading easier without any difference in gel cutting.
you can excise all your bands (for the same sample) together even without making a large well.
Whether you make a large well and cut the entire large band or you do not do any modification and cut the bands together as if they were one, it will not make any difference.
thanks

[@Halum11]

i don't think thats true at all. in my experience, it's a lot easier and less time consuming to cut one large gel band containing a large volume of one sample than to have to cut multiple smaller bands in to which one sample was divided. this is not only less stressful and time consuming but it also limits uv exposure to the dna (thus mutations) as well as the person cutting the gel. if indeed you excise all the bands together as you say you will end up with excess agarose that does not contain any dna and thus reduce the efficiency of your future gel extraction. the columns in qiagen kits can only extract upto 400 mg agarose each. if you have one large band where you neatly cut it out you will definitely have a smaller agarose slice than if you cut one piece out containing multiple small bands (depending also on the space between your wells). maybe you are super talented or god gifted that you do not perceive a difference in gel cutting between the two scenarios. i mean.. good for you i guess..