In this lab we asked the question, How can DNA be separated from cheek cells in order to study it? We found that DNA could be seperated from cheek cells by first using Gatorade to extract the cheek cells. Then adding salt, detergent, and pineapple juice to go through the processes. Then we would layer a layer of alcohol on top of the solution. After we preformed the experiment I found that the DNA from the cheek cell floated up to the top of the alcohol layer in my sample. This DNA was a tangled strands of most likely many strands of DNA. This experiment worked because the salt facilitated precipitation by shielding the ends of the negative phosphates, allowing them to move closer together. Then the soap emulsifyed the protiens and lipids in the cell, this disrupted the polarity in the cell membrance causing the cell to release all of it's contents. The pineapple juice acting as a Catabolic protease then further broke down histones which are proteins that DNA wraps around. The alcohol which is nonpolar then caused the DNA to precipitate where the solution touches the alcohol.
Our data contradicts the expected results because not everyone had a good sample of DNA that precipitated to the top of the alcohol even though I did get a good sample. This happened even when people did the procedure correctly. The most likely cause of this is because not everyone swabbed their mouth enough to get a large enough sample of the cheek cells. However I did swab a bit excessively, so I had a good sample. We could help eliminate these errors by having everyone swab excessively as I had done, the sample may look a bit disgusting, but that is because it if filled with cheek cells which are absolutely necessary for the extraction process. We could also use a stronger solution to extract the cheek cells than Gatorade, however it might not taste as well.
This lab was done to demonstrate how to extract DNA from human cheek cells. From this lab I learned the process of DNA extraction, which helps me understand the concept of how DNA condenses for mitosis and when geneticists condence DNA to study it. Based on my experience I now know how to condense and extract DNA from cheek cells.
In this lab we asked the question, How can DNA be separated from cheek cells in order to study it? We found that DNA could be seperated from cheek cells by first using Gatorade to extract the cheek cells. Then adding salt, detergent, and pineapple juice to go through the processes. Then we would layer a layer of alcohol on top of the solution. After we preformed the experiment I found that the DNA from the cheek cell floated up to the top of the alcohol layer in my sample. This DNA was a tangled strands of most likely many strands of DNA. This experiment worked because the salt facilitated precipitation by shielding the ends of the negative phosphates, allowing them to move closer together. Then the soap emulsifyed the protiens and lipids in the cell, this disrupted the polarity in the cell membrance causing the cell to release all of it's contents. The pineapple juice acting as a Catabolic protease then further broke down histones which are proteins that DNA wraps around. The alcohol which is nonpolar then caused the DNA to precipitate where the solution touches the alcohol.
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