Strawberry DNA Extraction lab
Mariana Calle Cano 7.3
2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this lab is to make us understand how to extract
DNA from a living thing (strawberries), this lab also helps us see
how DNA looks like when it is completely compact. We will
achieve the purpose of the lab by following the procedure of the
lab very clearly and analyzing the respective results.
3. Procedure
1. Gather materials
2. Place the strawberries in the bag and squish the
strawberries gently.
3. Add 15 ml of soap and 100 ml of warm water to the bag
4. Gently squish the bag for 1 minute
5. Then filter the solution trough a funnel and a paper towel
6. Pour the solution into the test tube
7. Pour cold alcohol into the test tube
8. Let the solution rest for 3 minutes
9. Let the DNA rise to the surface of the test tube
10. Scoop up the DNA with a paper clip
11. Clean up your mess!!!
4. Data and results
Data:
In this picture we can see
how the DNA is rising up
to the top very slowly, the
DNA took about three
minutes to rise.
In this photo the DNA has
now risen to the top. We
can see the DNA color is
white and it has some
type of strange texture.
In this picture we can see
how the DNA is being
scooped up with a paper
clip. Fortunately we had a
reasonable amount of
DNA.
Results: Our results were successful the DNA rose after 3 min
of resting in the test tube. There was a reasonable amount of
DNA at the surface of the solution.
Observations: The DNA’s consistency was gooey like a soft
gelatin with some white spots.
5. Questions
1. Where can DNA be found in the cell?
DNA can be found in the nucleus of the cell.
2. 1 small cell can hold up to 2 meters of DNA, how is it
possible for this to fit inside the cell?
It is possible that the DNA fits inside the small cell because
the entire DNA is coiled up inside the chromosomes in a very
small piece.
3. What do you think the purpose of the soap and alcohol
was in this activity?
The purpose of the soap and the alcohol in the extraction lab
is to cushion and cooperate to break the cellular membrane
and as a result we can see the DNA molecule. The alcohol
separates the DNA from other cell components. The soap
captures the proteins and lipids when it gets in contact with
the cell.
4. Describe what chromosomes are made of (it’s more
than DNA), and how they are organized
Chromosomes are basically made out of chromatids and
centromeres. The DNA is inside the chromatids. Also
chromosomes are made of one string of DNA. There are also
some proteins that are connected to the DNA, in order to
maintain it and keep it coiled; these are sometimes known to
be as a part of the chromosome
5. How can extracting DNA from organisms help
scientists learn about them (what kind of information
can they get)?
Extracting DNA from organisms can help scientists see how
DNA is made and it can also show them the trait the
organisms have.
6. Conclusions
The purpose of the lab was certainly achieved, we did see how
DNA looks like when it’s compact, and we also learned how to
extract the DNA out of a living thing.
The process we did to make the extraction of the DNA of a
fruit was simple, the materials that were used were not complex
and the time we took was not very long. We were able to
observe the DNA without using microscopes. In the lab we could
discover the DNA in a simple way and we found all the physical
characteristics of a fruit. In conclusion fruits can be
manipulated in their cell structure. This way production will be
better, we can make our products more advanced for the future.
I concluded the strawberries were soft and cushioned organisms
that permitted to extract DNA easily. I investigated that DNA
can be preserved or kept a lot of time without getting rotten
for lots of time if they are in a laboratory.