Given below are two statements :

Statement I : The DNA fragments extracted from gel electrophoresis can be used in construction of recombinant DNA.
Statement II : Smaller size DNA fragments are observed near anode while larger fragments are found near the wells in an agarose gel.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

**Statement I:** “The DNA fragments extracted from gel electrophoresis can be used in construction of recombinant DNA.”

During gel electrophoresis, DNA molecules are separated by size. After the run, the band that contains the desired fragment can be cut out of the agarose gel. The DNA is then purified (e.g., using a gel‑extraction kit) to remove agarose and salts. The purified fragment retains its intact ends, which can be ligated into a cloning vector using DNA ligase. Thus, the fragment obtained from the gel can indeed be employed in recombinant DNA techniques such as cloning, sequencing or gene‑editing constructs. Therefore, Statement I is correct.

**Statement II:** “Smaller size DNA fragments are observed near anode while larger fragments are found near the wells in an agarose gel.”

In agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA molecules are negatively charged because of their phosphate backbone. When an electric field is applied, they migrate toward the positively charged electrode (the anode). The agarose matrix acts as a sieve: smaller fragments move more easily through the pores and travel farther, reaching the region close to the anode. Larger fragments experience greater resistance, move more slowly, and remain nearer to the wells where they were originally loaded. This size‑dependent migration pattern is a fundamental principle of gel electrophoresis. Hence, Statement II is also correct.

Since both statements accurately describe established facts about gel electrophoresis and recombinant DNA work, the appropriate choice is that **both Statement I and Statement II are correct**.