What are 1 kb DNA ladders?

1 kb DNA ladders are made up of thirteen linear double-stranded DNA fragments. They can be utilized for determining the size of DNA fragments ranging from 250 base pairs (bps) to 10,000 base pairs.

The 1 kb DNA ladder consists of a unique combination of a number of plasmids digested with restriction enzymes and PCR products, resulting in 13 DNA fragments that are suitable for serving as a molecular weight standard during electrophoresis. These ladders can be employed in both agarose and polyacrylamide gels, with gel concentrations typically ranging from 0.75% to 1%.