This post is about quantifying DNA samples in the Rieseberg lab, i.e. using the tools we have available to us in our lab in the Biodiversity building as of November 2011.

There are three ways to quantify the amount of DNA in an aqueous solution (e.g. DNA dissolved in water or TE):

1. Nanodrop (spectrophotometry).
2. Qubit (flourometry).
3. Agarose gel with EtBr (also fluorometry -> UV lightbox + your eyes = fluorometer).
4. (There is also the BioAnalyzer – I’m going to ignore that here and focus on methods to measure high mw genomic DNA).

These methods have different benefits and limitations but they are all valid and useful.
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