Name: ____________________________________________Hour ________ Date _____________

DNA Extraction LAB

We can isolate our DNA by collecting cells, breaking them open and separating/collecting the DNA
from all of the cells together. Long, thin chains of DNA molecules are difficult to see individually, but
if gather them from many cells and make a pile of them, we can see them. his laboratory e!ercise
uses detergent to lyse "break# cells and release your DNA and en$ymes to digest proteins bound to your
DNA and the cellular en$ymes that may damage your DNA strands. %inally, salt and cold alcohol are
added to clump the DNA and force it to precipitate "come out of solution# into a mass we can see.
Materials
&er person
' test tube with cap
pipette
' microtube "tiny tube#
&er table
est tube rack
Detergent solution
meat tenderi$er
salt
cold ()* alcohol
Prelab questions
'. Where is DNA located in your cells+
,. We will be collecting cells from inside your mouth into a mouthwash. What tool could we use to be sure that
we collected some cells in your mouthwash before starting this lab+ "-int. how can we see cells+#
/. Does your heart cell contain the same DNA as your cheek cell+ 0!plain your answer.
1. Detergent has both polar and non2polar areas that disrupt the bonds between phospholipids and other fats.
-ow does this release your DNA from your cells+
Procedure
Step 1 Collect cheek cells for a DNA saple! "3ou could get DNA from almost any cell in your body, but
cheek cells are easy to collect without in4ury.#
'. &ut 5 ml of sports drink or water into a paper cup.
,. Add the drink into your mouth and swish it in your mouth for about /) seconds "like mouthwash#.
As you swish you are knocking cells off the inside of your cheeks. S"ish hard so you get more
cheek cells and then you will get more DNA.
/. When /) seconds are up, spit the drink back into the cup and pour 6 ml into the test tube. he water
you 4ust spat out has thousands of cheek cells in it, all containing DNA molecules.
Step # Break open $our cells to release DNA! Detergent will break open the membranes of your cheek
cells releasing DNA and the other molecules into the water.
'. Add ' ml of li7uid detergent solution into the tube and cells.
,. 8ap and gently invert the tube 9 times to distribute the detergent molecules.
Step % Destro$ en&$es that could de'rade $our DNA!
1! Add a pinch of en$yme "meat tenderi$er# to your test tube. 8ap your tube and gently invert the tube
five times to mi!. Let the mi!ture sit for at least ') minutes
Name: ____________________________________________Hour ________ Date _____________
Step ( Make DNA )isible! he DNA molecules floating in your tube are too small to see individually so we
need to clump them together so that you can see them.
'. Add a pinch of salt to the glass and gently invert / more times. he salt will help to clump the DNA
at the ne!t stage.
,. -old the tube containing your DNA tilted at a 192degree angle and Slo"l$ add really cold alcohol
into the tube until '1 ml total volume in tube. he alcohol will wash down into the water layer and
then come to float on top.
%! *hich is ore dense+ the alcohol or the "ater,
1. &ut the tube in the test tube rack and wait for five minutes.
9. -old the tube up to the light to see milky white threads or clumps floating in the alcohol layer. hat
is your DNA: ;ne tiny thread within a white clump contains thousands of DNA molecules.
6. <f you do not see any white cobwebs or clumps in your tube, look for bubbles hanging on the sides.
he bubbles are stuck amongst long strands of DNA. 0ven if there is not much DNA, the bubbles
show it is there. Look closely for white, wispy strands of DNA amongst the bubbles.
Step - ./ptional0 Sa)e $our DNA to take hoe! Although some of the proteins in this solution may
slowly degrade the DNA sample over time, your DNA will be visible for years in a microtube with alcohol
if kept sealed.
'. ransfer your DNA into a microtube by using a clean pipette to suck up the DNA.
,. Add enough alcohol from the top layer to fill the tube and close the cap.
All living things contain DNA, so you could use a similar procedure to collect DNA from onions, kiwis,
strawberries and anything that is or was recently alive.
Post lab questions
'. DNA has a negative charge because of the phosphate groups. =alts have positive ions that stick to DNA to
make the DNA molecules neutral. his allows the DNA to clump together instead of repelling each other.
<nto which layer "alcohol or water/buffer layer# did the DNA precipitate out "appear#+
,. Why did we use really cold alcohol+ "-int. think about sugar mi!ed into warm vs. cold water.#
/. A scientist e!tracted ).,9 >g "micrograms# of DNA from a single mouse liver cell.
a# -ow much DNA should he get from a single skin cell of this mouse+ 0!plain your answer.
b# -ow much should he get from one mouse sperm cell+ 0!plain your answer.
1. Do you think it is relatively easy to ac7uire someone?s DNA+ What might it be used for+