Agarose is a
A a type of man-made plastic
B protein
C polysaccharide
D lipid E nucleic acid
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C. polysaccharide.
Agarose is a type of polysaccharide, which is a carbohydrate composed of long chains of sugar molecules. It is primarily extracted from red algae, particularly from the Gelidium and Gracilaria species. Agarose itself is a high-molecular-weight polymer that forms a gel when dissolved in water and cooled. This gelation property makes it useful in laboratory techniques, particularly in molecular biology and biochemistry.
Agarose is most commonly used in gel electrophoresis, a technique that separates DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge. The agarose gel acts as a medium through which the molecules travel when an electric field is applied. Smaller molecules move faster through the gel matrix, while larger ones move more slowly, allowing for size-based separation. This property makes agarose a critical component in molecular research and diagnostics.
The structure of agarose consists of repeating units of agarobiose, a disaccharide made up of two sugar molecules. Agarose differs from agar, which is another gel-forming substance derived from seaweed, in that agarose is typically more pure and used in specific applications requiring better resolution, like DNA electrophoresis.
Agarose is biodegradable and non-toxic, making it safer to use compared to other synthetic gel materials. It is also versatile and can be manipulated for various gel concentrations depending on the specific needs of the experiment.
In summary, agarose is a polysaccharide and is widely used in laboratories for gel electrophoresis and other applications due to its ability to form gels and its biocompatibility.