1. Obtain some DNA polymerase [pink]. Put the DNA to be made radioactive (radiolabeled) into a tube.
2. Introduce nicks, or horizontal breaks along a strand, into the DNA you want to radiolabel. At the same time, add individual nucleotides to the nicked DNA, one of which, *C [light blue], is radioactive.
3. Add the DNA polymerase [pink] to the tube with the nicked DNA and the individual nucleotides. The DNA polymerase will become immediately attracted to the nicks in the DNA and attempt to repair the DNA, starting from the 5' end and moving toward the 3' end.
4. The DNA polymerase [pink] begins repairing the nicked DNA. It destroys all the existing bonds in front of it and places the new nucleotides, gathered from the individual nucleotides mixed in the tube, behind it. Whenever a G base is read in the lower strand, a radioactive *C [light blue] base is placed in the new strand. In this fashion, the nicked strand, as it is repaired by the DNA polymerase, is made radioactive by the inclusion of radioactive *C bases.
5. The nicked DNA is then heated, splitting the two strands of DNA apart. This creates single-stranded radioactive and non-radioactive pieces. The radioactive DNA, now called a probe [light blue], is ready for use.
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Creating a Hybridization Reaction