Background
As you have learned, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an important organic molecule that contains the instructions for the production of proteins specific to the species from which the DNA was obtained. In general, proteins are the organic molecules that give a species its particular form and function.
In eukaryotic organisms, DNA is stored in the nucleus of the cell, and is replicated and passed on to somatic cells (body cells) and germ cells (sex cells) through the processes of mitosis and meiosis. Then, during fertilization separate germ cells (sperm and egg) come together as a new zygote that begins its trajectory into a new individual. In the following exercise, you will be able to witness these immortal coils.
Materials
Strawberries
Ziploc Bags
Salt
Clear Soap
Meat Tenderizer
Beakers
Test Tubes
Rubbing Alcohol
Procedure
1. Form a group of three and acquire 3 strawberries and a ziploc bag.
2. Place the strawberries in the ziploc bag and knead them until they form a juicy liquid. Add enough water to the strawberry juice to fill one quarter of the Ziploc bag, and add a teaspoon of salt as well. Mix the liquid.
3. Add 5 squirts of clear soap to the strawberry juice and 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer. Swish the bag GENTLY to mix the strawberry juice, clear soap, and meat tenderizer or you will break the slender strands of DNA.
Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
4. After the solution has sat for 10 minutes, cut a small hole in one corner of the bag and pour the solution into a beaker. As strawberry pulp obstructs the hole, hold the hole, invert the bag to mix around and move the pulp, and pour again. Continue in this manner until you acquire 100ml of liquid.

5. Gently and slowly pour some of this mixture into a test tube until it is filled halfway. Then, slowly fill the remainder of the test tube with cold rubbing alcohol. You should see the alcohol form a clear layer of alcohol form above the strawberry mixture.
6. Watch the layer of alcohol. In time, you should see slender white strands or globs forming from the strawberry mixture into the alcohol. This is DNA from the strawberry. If DNA doesn’t form well clean out the test tube and return to step 5.
7. Using a clean glass stirring rod try to spool the DNA for viewing.