[DIYbio] Re: Essential equipment for home genetic engineering?

Hi Keong,
This list you give is a lot to bite off for a beginner (especially a 16 year old who I assume doesn't have a salary).  You suggested he start with a simple transformation involving GFP in E coli K12.  Can you subset this list to a smaller, basic list that is sufficient for such simple transformation protocols?  That way he can learn from some early successes and targeting where he wants to upgrade.


On Saturday, January 19, 2013 8:07:32 PM UTC+3, Koeng wrote:

Here are a few things

Incubator (needed for accurate growing)

Centrifuge (needed for DNA purification)

Electrophoresis set (validation and purification)

vortex (helpful when resuspending)

-20 C freezer (storing plasmids)

4 C refrigerator (storing plates)

-80 C freezer (I really want to get one but can't afford D:(used for storing bacteria strains))

Thermocycler (PCR, restrictive enzymes, ect)

Pipettes (How are you gonna transfer anything?)

Pressure cooker (If you can't get one, used the microwave)

Waterbath 

Strains

pGreen from Carolina (nice starter plasmid)

E coli K12 (easy to get strain)

If you want to start small just get some plasmids an start doing small transformation with a vector that has GFP (how I started). All you will need is an incubator (optional) some loops, a few pipettes, and good agar plates.

Some reagents and consumables

LB agar (make your own. It is a hell lot cheaper)

Petri dishes

ampicillin

restrictive enzymes and ligase (or go the other route like me and use the gibson assembly on almost everything)

Taq pcr kit

pipette tips

centrifuge tubes

PCR tubes

loops

My recommendation for your situation (because I started just about where you started expect I found DIY bio much later)-

1. Identify your first goal. This could be as simple as a transformation.

2. Then gather materials for that goal. All those materials will be useful later. I have several metal inoculating loops but I like to use plastic ones because they don't cut my cheap agar plates when I try to get a colony

3. Complete it. (Important)

4. Repeat

This is what I did and it worked out pretty well!

On Saturday, January 19, 2013 7:56:39 AM UTC-8, Ross Mitchell-Smith wrote:

Hi all.

        I am a 16 year old student and aspiring geneticist who has recently stumbled upon the idea of DIY biology. I want to start genetically engineering (eg creating new types of bacteria or isolating certain useful genes) from home. I have a firm understanding of the very basics of genetics however I am ignorant as to what equipment I might need. Any help, information or advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

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