March 2007, SoftGenetics
- AFLP Analysis of Gel Electrophoresis
Images:
Introduction
Gel electrophoresis is used in forensics,
molecular biology, genetics, microbiology and biochemistry.
The results can be analyzedquantitatively by visualizing
the gel with UV light and a gel imaging device. The image
is recorded with a computer operatedcamera, and the intensity
of the band or spot of interest is measured and compared
against standard or markers loaded on thesame gel.
Many DNA fragment analysis techniques use gel electrophoresis
to separate fragments based on size. Examples of thesetechniques
include AFLP®, microsatellite, ecotilling, TILLING®,
T-RFLP, SNP discovery, fingerprinting, footprinting, etc.
(1-3).Often the gel images are overcrowded
and tedious to analyze and with the advent of capillary
electrophoresis, softwaredevelopment to analyze these gel
images has fallen by the wayside. SoftGenetics has recently
developed software to fill thisgap - JelMarker. JelMarker
uses advanced image reading algorithms and specific band
scoring techniques to minimize theamount of time a researcher
devotes to identifying and sizing fragments. Included is
an example of how the AFLP techniqueanalyzed with JelMarker
in combination with GeneMarker can make gel image analysis
a breeze!
Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms – or AFLP
- was first introduced in 1995 by KeyGene N.V. as a method
for analyzing,comparing, and differentiating organisms using
an entire genome approach (4). AFLP has
increasingly become the technique ofchoice for phylogeny
analysis and species differentiation (5).
To streamline researchers’ AFLP procedure, GeneMarker
fragmentanalysis software analyzes AFLP data and applies
clustering algorithms for simple differentiation of complex
species models.With JelMarker image reading software, researchers
using gel separation can also tap the power of GeneMarker’s
patented sizecalling algorithms and clustering analyses
without expensive capillary electrophoresis equipment.
JelMarker was developed in response to a growing demand
for software that can analyze fluorescence, chemiluminescence
andautoradiography gel image files – especially those
from LI-COR®4300 DNA Analyzer and KODAK®Image Station
4000R.JelMarker can import up to two TIFF, BIP, JPEG, and
TXT files for comparison analysis. The software exports
SCF files for easyupload to the fragment analysis software
- GeneMarker..
For more details, download the AFLP
Analysis of Gel Electrophoresis Images PDF 
(1.49 Mb) and the JelMarker
Gel Imaging and Conversion Software PDF
(350 Kb)
