Sticky Ends
Sticky Ends - Related Videos
05:28
Quantifying Corticolous Arthropods Using Sticky Traps
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Cited by 2 •
2020
We describe a semi-quantitative approach of measuring characteristics of corticolous (bark-dwelling) arthropod communities. We placed commercially manufactured sticky traps on tree boles to estimate abundance, total length (a surrogate to biomass), richness, and Shannon diversity for comparison among tree species.
07:34
DNA Ligation Reactions
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2023
In molecular biology, ligation refers to the joining of two DNA fragments through the formation of a phosphodiester bond. An enzyme known as a ligase catalyzes the ligation reaction. In the cell, ligases repair single and double strand breaks that occur during DNA replication. In the laboratory, DNA ligase is used during molecular cloning to join DNA fragments of inserts with vectors – carrier DNA molecules that will replicate target fragments in host organisms. This video provides an...
09:25
Microinjection Techniques for Studying Mitosis in the Drosophila melanogaster Syncytial Embryo
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Cited by 18 •
2009
This protocol describes the use of microinjection and high resolution imaging in the Drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo to study mitosis.
05:51
Microinjection of Live Drosophila Embryos: Early Delivery of Reagents to the Developing Embryo
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2023
This video describes how to perform microinjections that deliver reagents into live Drosophila embryos. Researchers can use this method to introduce exogenous compounds like nucleic acids and proteins during the early stages of embryo development. The featured protocol demonstrates how to set up and perform the procedure for injection of any soluble reagent–here, a fluorescent protein for live imaging experiments.
07:51
Agarose Microchambers for Long-term Calcium Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans
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Cited by 42 •
2015
Imaging behavior and neural activity over long time scales without immobilization of the animal is a prerequisite to understand behavior. Agarose microfluidic chambers imaging (AMI) can be used to image neural activity and behavior for all life stages of Caenorhabditis elegans.
FAQs
Complementary overhangs temporarily pair through hydrogen bonds, creating a short-lived alignment between DNA fragments. This alignment matters because it places matching ends next to one another before DNA ligase forms the covalent bonds that join the backbones. The overhang sequence therefore contributes both molecular recognition and physical positioning during assembly.
DNA ligase acts after complementary pairing has brought the fragments together. Rather than determining which sequences match, it performs the covalent joining step that converts a temporarily held complex into a joined DNA molecule. Separating these roles clarifies the mechanism: sticky ends provide recognition and alignment, while ligase supplies the final bond.
Sequence specificity makes Sticky Ends useful for controlled assembly because exposed bases pair with complementary sequences. This compatibility helps distinguish an intended DNA fragment from fragments lacking the matching overhang. In biology, that selectivity supports construction of recombinant molecules with a chosen inserted sequence rather than relying solely on physical proximity between unrelated fragments.
A typical construction workflow uses restriction enzymes to cut a DNA fragment and a plasmid so their exposed ends are compatible. The matching overhangs then pair through hydrogen bonding, positioning the insert alongside the plasmid DNA. DNA ligase can subsequently create the covalent joins, producing a recombinant plasmid that carries the selected DNA sequence.
When inserting a gene into a plasmid, matching Sticky Ends help place the gene fragment at the intended joining site. Their complementary bases hold the two DNA pieces together long enough for ligase-mediated covalent joining. The resulting plasmid can carry the inserted gene as part of a recombinant DNA construct, a central outcome of this cloning strategy.
Sticky Ends are relevant beyond a single cloning experiment. Their sequence specificity supports gene cloning, DNA mapping, and assembly of engineered genetic constructs. These applications use the same underlying advantage: complementary ends can bring selected DNA pieces together for ligase-mediated covalent joining. Thus, the method links molecular recognition with practical recombinant-DNA design.