Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-biochemistry-and-molecular-biology-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/paper-2/section-c/14/j/solution

Prepare nuclear extract from the specified pancreatic cell line, retaining DNA-binding activity and protecting against degradation. Make and label a double-stranded DNA probe containing the two candidate binding sites and their flanks. Incubate equal probe amounts with extract under suitable binding conditions, including non-specific competitor DNA. Prepare the extract-only binding reaction and separate reactions containing anti-TCF transcription factor or anti-HNF1β antibody; keep other conditions and input amounts matched. Resolve the reactions by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detect the labelled probe. Binding changes probe mobility; addition of an appropriate antibody can produce a supershift. Include probe integrity and a probe-only reference, and avoid denaturing reagents that destroy the complexes being measured.

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