Lena Savoie
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule in the shape of a double helix that contains the chemical instructions for how to make a living thing. Typically, scientists use one of many DNA extraction kits to release DNA from a cell. However, it is possible to make your own DNA extraction kit from household chemicals to extract DNA from strawberries. This is because strawberries have eight copies of the genome in each cell, resulting in a lot of DNA per cell. To do this, a detergent is required to cause the cell to pop open, or lyse, so that the DNA is released. Once the DNA is released, it will appear as a white, thread-like cloud that clumps together and floats to the top of the alcohol layer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dish soap | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Water | 1 cup |
| Strawberries | 3 |
| Plastic cups | 2 |
| Coffee filter | 1 |
| Zip-closure bag | 1 |
| Bamboo skewer | 1 |
| Resealable bag | 1 |
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What You'll Learn
Use a zip-closure bag to mash strawberries
To extract DNA from a strawberry without alcohol, one of the methods you can use is a zip-closure bag to mash strawberries. This method is easy, quick, and safe, especially if you are doing this as an activity with children.
Firstly, place a strawberry in a zip-closure bag. Remove most of the air from the bag before sealing it. You can do this by sucking in the air through your mouth and then sealing the bag immediately. Make sure to seal the bag tightly.
Now, take the sealed bag and mash the strawberry inside it with your hands. Be careful not to hit the bag against a table or any other hard surface as this may damage the DNA. You can also use a bamboo skewer to help with the mashing, but be gentle. The goal is to break down the strawberry's cells to release the DNA.
Once the strawberry is mashed, it's time to add the DNA extraction solution. This solution is made by mixing about one tablespoon of dish detergent (dishwashing liquid) with one teaspoon of salt and one cup of water. You can adjust the measurements as needed, but the key is to ensure the salt is dissolved. Pour this solution into the bag with the mashed strawberry.
Reseal the bag and gently massage and mix the contents for about a minute. Avoid creating too many soap bubbles during this step. The detergent in the solution will help burst open the strawberry's cells, releasing the DNA, while the salt keeps the proteins separate from the DNA.
Now you have a mixture of strawberry mash and DNA extraction solution, which contains the DNA from the strawberry. The next steps would involve filtering this mixture and using alcohol to precipitate the DNA, making it visible.
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Make a DNA extraction solution with detergent
To make a DNA extraction solution with detergent, you will need a few simple household items. Firstly, gather your equipment: a small bowl or glass, a spoon for mixing, and measuring spoons. For the solution itself, you will need water, dish detergent or dishwashing liquid, and salt.
The detergent or dishwashing liquid is crucial as it acts on the strawberry cells, causing them to burst open and release the DNA. This process is called lysING. The detergent also ensures that the proteins in the cell are kept separate from the DNA.
Now, to make the solution, simply mix about one tablespoon of dish detergent or dishwashing liquid with one teaspoon of salt and one cup of water. You can adjust the measurements slightly, but ensure you have a higher proportion of water to the other ingredients. Mix the ingredients together until the salt is dissolved.
Once you have made your DNA extraction solution, you can use it to extract DNA from strawberries. Follow the subsequent steps in the strawberry DNA extraction activity, and you will be able to see strawberry DNA with your own eyes!
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Pour the solution into the bag of strawberries
Now that you've made your DNA extraction solution, it's time to pour it into the bag of strawberries. If you haven't already, place your strawberries in a zip-closure bag, remove the air, and seal the bag. You can use a bamboo skewer or similar tool to mash the strawberries through the bag. Be careful not to hit the bag against a hard surface, as this may damage the DNA.
Once you've mashed your strawberries, it's time to add the extraction solution. Pour the solution into the bag and reseal it. Gently massage and mix the strawberries and solution for about a minute. Try not to make too many soap bubbles during this step. The detergent in the solution will cause the strawberry cells to burst open, releasing the DNA.
At this point, you should have a bag containing a mixture of strawberry liquid and the extraction solution. The next step is to separate the liquid from the solid strawberry residue. To do this, you'll need a second plastic cup and a coffee filter. Open the plastic bag and pour the liquid through the filter into the cup. Allow the liquid to drip through the filter, leaving the strawberry solids behind.
Now that you've separated the liquid, you can proceed to the final steps of DNA extraction. This typically involves adding cold rubbing alcohol to the filtered strawberry liquid. The alcohol will cause the DNA to precipitate, forming whitish, thread-like clumps that you can see without a microscope.
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Filter the mixture into a cup
Now that you've prepared your strawberry mixture, it's time to filter it into a cup to separate the DNA from the rest of the liquid. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you with this process:
Gather Your Materials
You will need the following items for this step:
- The strawberry mixture in a sealed bag
- A coffee filter
- A second plastic cup
Prepare the Filter and Cup
Take the coffee filter and place it over the opening of the second plastic cup. The filter will ensure that the strawberry mixture is effectively strained, separating the DNA from the solid strawberry remnants.
Filter the Mixture
Carefully open the plastic bag containing your strawberry mixture. Slowly pour the liquid from the bag onto the coffee filter. This step may take a few minutes, as you should wait for the liquid to fully drip through the filter and into the cup. The filter will catch any solid particles, leaving you with a clearer liquid in the cup.
Observe the Filtered Mixture
Once the liquid has passed through the filter, take a moment to observe its appearance. The filtered mixture in the cup should be relatively clear, with most of the solid strawberry "schmutz" retained in the filter. This filtration step is crucial because it helps isolate the DNA, making it easier to identify and extract in the next steps.
Prepare for the Next Steps
With the mixture successfully filtered into the cup, you are now ready to proceed to the final stages of DNA extraction. Keep your work area organised and your materials close at hand, as you will soon be adding the cold rubbing alcohol to the filtered mixture to precipitate the DNA. Remember to follow the subsequent instructions carefully to ensure the success of your strawberry DNA extraction experiment.
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Observe the DNA with a bamboo skewer
To observe strawberry DNA with a bamboo skewer, you'll first need to extract the DNA using the following steps:
Extracting the DNA
Place a strawberry in a zip-closure bag and remove most of the air before sealing it. Mash the strawberry through the bag by hand for about two minutes. Avoid hitting it against a table as this may damage the DNA. Add a DNA extraction solution—made by mixing about one tablespoon of dish detergent and one teaspoon of salt into one cup of water—to the bag. Continue mixing and mashing the contents of the bag in your hand.
Next, place a piece of gauze, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter over the opening of a cup, securing it with a rubber band. Carefully pour the strawberry mixture into the cup, ensuring that the solids are caught by the gauze.
Observing the DNA with a Bamboo Skewer
Now, take a dropper or spoonful of the liquid from the cup and place it in a test tube or smaller cup. Carefully add a dropper or spoonful of alcohol to the test tube, being careful not to tilt or tip the test tube or mix the two liquids. You will notice a white, thread-like cloud appearing between the strawberry mixture and the alcohol. This is the DNA, and it will clump together and float to the top of the alcohol layer.
At this point, you can use a bamboo skewer to gently probe and observe the DNA clump. The DNA will appear as a whitish, snot-like material that has formed in the upper layer of the liquid. You can carefully swirl the test tube in a circular motion to observe the DNA from different angles and to see how it moves within the liquid.
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Frequently asked questions
To extract DNA from a strawberry without using alcohol, you can follow these steps:
- Place a strawberry in a zip-closure bag and remove the air before sealing.
- Mash the strawberry through the bag.
- Prepare a DNA-extracting solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of water.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the DNA-extracting solution to the bag.
- Gently massage and mix the contents of the bag for about a minute.
- Pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a cup, leaving the strawberry residue behind.
Alcohol, specifically rubbing alcohol, is often used to precipitate DNA, causing it to clump together and become visible as a white, thread-like substance.
An alternative to using alcohol is to chill the DNA-extracting solution in the freezer before use, as chilling aids in precipitating the DNA.
Salt helps to break down the cell walls of the strawberry, releasing the DNA.
Dishwashing liquid aids in bursting open the strawberry's cells and releasing the DNA. It also helps to separate the proteins from the DNA.
