By Chris Vera Zelada
Image credit Kenneth Hawes, Wikimedia Commons.
Special to the Enterprise
DNA extraction is a very important part of medical science. It helps us study the genetics in new diseases in which scientists can then make diagnostics and drugs to fight against them. This experiment can show you how DNA extraction works using common household items.
Materials needed:
❖ Resealable plastic bag
❖ 2 strawberries (remove green leaves)
❖ 2 tsp. Dish detergent
❖ 1 tsp salt
❖ ½ cup water
❖ 2 plastic cups
❖ 1 coffee filter
❖ ½ cup cold rubbing alcohol
❖ 1 coffee stirrer
❖ AND most importantly a scientist (YOU!!!)
Procedure:
1. Grab your plastic bag and place both strawberries inside, then smash strawberries for about 2 minute or until very smashed
2. Making DNA Extraction solution
a. Mix the following ingredients into ONE plastic cup
- 2 tsp dish detergent
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup water
b. Mix until salt is fully dissolved
3. Pour solution into plastic bag with smashed strawberries
4. Gently massage plastic bag to mix smashed strawberries and solution for about 1minute but try not to make soap bubbles.
5. Grab the second cup and place the coffee filter over the opening then pour the plastic bag mixture on the coffee filter. Wait for the liquid to drip down through the filter leaving the smush of the strawberry.
6. Remove the filter with the leftover smush. Then pour an equal amount of cold rubbing alcohol into the liquid in the second cup.
7. Gently move the cup in circles until a snot-like material forms in the upper layer of the liquid. THIS IS THE STRAWBERRY DNA!
8. Use the coffee stirrer to pick up strawberry DNA out of liquid.
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