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Chris Vera Zelada

Extract Strawberry DNA at Home

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.

 

 

Explorit's coming events:

 

•       Explorit is open Fridays from 1-4pm and Saturday and Sundays from 10am-2pm. The current exhibit is “Our WILD World”. Admission is $5 per person, free for Explorit Members and those aged 2 and under.

•       Summer Science Camps are back for 2024! Registration is $185 for Members, $210 for Non-Members. More information and registration can be found at https://www.explorit.org/camps.

•       April 13-14, Nature Detectives. In recognition of National Park Week, visitors will get to explore skulls, pelts, and track casts from 40 species from North America, courtesy of Kaotic Mythicals. Children will get to make their own Field Track Guide of 20 species. Special craft of a real track cast to take home plus a demonstration of track casting. Included with general $5 Admission to Explorit, 10am-2pm each day.

•       Save the Date! Saturday, May 4th. Science Expo at Explorit! More information can be found at https://www.explorit.org/science-expo-2024.

•       A Membership to Explorit grants the recipient free visits to Explorit’s regular public hours, discounts on events, summer camps, and gives you ASTC benefits to visit other museums throughout the world.  To purchase or for more information visit https://www.explorit.org/membership.

•       Now is a great time to donate and help Explorit continue to educate and inspire the scientists of tomorrow: https://www.explorit.org/donate

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