lets have alokk over the DNA recepie
A blender to break cell walls
Salt to stabilize DNA
Washing-up liquid (detergent) to destroy cells and nuclear membranes that protect DNA
Stain remover - Its enzymes deactivate all proteins which could damage DNA during the extraction process
Cold alcohol to precipitate DNA
Process description:
1. DNA extraction solution:
- 100 ml of water
- 1 teaspoon of washing-up liquid (to help destroying membranes)
- 2 teaspoons of salt (to help extract DNA)
- add several drops (or one teaspoon of powder) of enzymatic (important!) stain remover (to destroy proteins)
2. Blend a large fresh tomato using a kitchen blender.
You are breaking cells now – in a lab this process is called HOMOGENIZATION.
Homogenization
3. In a clean drinking glass, add a few tea spoons of the blended tomatoes (try not to add chunks) to approximately 40 ml of DNA extraction solution. Mix gently.
4. Put it into warm water (about 60 degrees C) for about 10 minutes.
http://www.moleclues.org/images/stories/MFIPstories/HMDNA/hmdna4.jpg
You are destroying cell membranes now.
Put into warm waterCool on ice
5. Cool the mixture on ice for 5 minutes.
6. Filter the mixture through coffee filter and let it drain.
Filter the mixture
7. Slowly and carefully add 20 ml of cold alcohol (should be as cold as possible – you can cool it down in a fridge or a freezer) to make a layer of alcohol floating over the filtered solution. Do not shake! Keep it on ice or in a fridge.
8. DNA will precipitate at the border of the two layers and float up to the surface.
DNA precipitate
9. You can collect the DNA with a coffee stirrer or wooden tooth-pick.
10. Admire Your “Home-made” DNA! ?
Did you know that:
We can find DNA in all living cells.
For example, a tomato contains 7 mg of DNA.
We eat about 55,000,000 of cells and 1,500,000 kilometers of DNA in each meal!
Bon appetite!
What questions arose in you mind during the experiment?
What surprised you? Why?
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