Bioinformatics
Leigh Ann Santana
DNA Extraction Lab DNA extraction is an important process because the DNA first needs to be purified away from proteins and other cellular contaminants. Cell are needed, because that is where the DNA is located. Inside almost every cell in our bodies is a nucleus, and inside each nucleus is about two meters of DNA. The following steps are needed to purify DNA from a cheek swab. Collect cheek cells, Burst cells open to release DNA, separate DNA from proteins and debris, and isolate concentrated DNA. The end of the swab must be cut off so it will be able to close in the tube. Using the micropipette, add some lysis solution to the tube. Lysis is a Greek work that means “to separate”. The lysis solution added contains two important ingredients: detergent and an enzyme call proteinase K. The detergent disrupts the cell membrane and nuclear envelope, causing the cells to burst open and release their DNA. The DNA is still wrapped very tightly around proteins called histone, and the proteinase K cuts apart the histones to free the DNA. Now the warm water bath is needed. The cells have to stay in the warm water bath long enough for the DNA to be freed from the cells, and the swab is removed from the tube. Add concentrated salt solution to the tube. The salt caused proteins and other cellular debris to clump together. In order to “balance” the centrifuge, with a tube containing water is placed opposite the DNA tube. Close the lid and turn it on. Inside the centrifuge, the tubes spin around at high speed. The heavy clumps of protein and cellular debris to sink to the bottom of the tube, while the strands of DNA remain distributed through the liquid. Now use the micropipette to carefully remove the top liquid (which contains DNA) and place the liquid into a clean tube. The proteins and other cellular debris stay behind. Now add isopropyl alcohol to the tube. Inverting the tube several times mixed the isopropyl alcohol into the DNA solution. Because DNA is not soluble in isopropyl alcohol, it comes out of the solution. The clumped DNA can be seen without a microscope. Place the tube into the centrifuge and this time after the sample spins the DNA sinks to the bottom of the tube. One the liquid is removed and the DNA is allowed to dry, the solution of your choice the DNA can re-dissolve. The DNA can be frozen for up to several years.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Cell and molecular biology is a science based on the various systems of a cell resulting to its regulation, maintenance and function. Many of these systems involve genetic information hence the study of the DNA is an essential part of this field. To able to analyze DNA, it must first be isolated and purified from its natural environment filled with biological molecules and compounds that cause physical or chemical interference in an experimental set-up. Several protocols have been established to efficiently extract DNA, one of which, the CTAB method, was performed and studied in this exercise. (De la Parte and Dita, 2014)…
- 1475 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
is now clumped and visible .The tube is placed into the centrifuge .Lastly , the liquid is removed from the DNA and is dried. DNA extraction is…
- 509 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
2.) Precipitate the DNA: It is possible to evaporate all the water in the tube and leave behind only DNA. It will appear as a tiny white spec in the bottom of the tube. However, this isn't very informative as you can't easily tell how much DNA you have and it takes a while.…
- 140 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
DNA is the blueprint for life, it is found in the nucleus of cells on the chromosomes. It is found in many cell organelles, such as plasmids in bacteria, chloroplasts in plants, and mitochondria in both plants and animals. DNA helps us to perform many actions in solving crimes, and also helps us to do scientific studies that were not possible until recently. DNA has a double helix structure, its sugar phosphate backbone, made up of deoxyribose and a phosphate group are held together by hydrogen bonds and base pairs. These bases are adenine and guanine, thymine and cytosine. There are coding and non coding parts of DNA, the non coding part is called an intron, this may not seem to have a function but it helps to keep the structure of the helix by coiling, regulates when genes are expressed and is also used in DNA replication. Non-coding regions of DNA between genes are the satellite DNA, this is a simple base sequence repeated many times. It’s not all non-coding DNA though, the coding parts of the DNA are known as exons.…
- 1261 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
When the DNA was released from the cheek cells, 1 mL of 10% sodium lauryl sulfate was added to the test tube. Sodium lauryl sulfate works as a detergent that removes the cheek cell from its cell membrane, allowing the DNA to be released into the test tube. After the DNA was released into the test tube, 5 mL of 95% cold ethyl alcohol was added so it formed a layer over the cheek cells and so it could start precipitation. Any clouding that formed between the cheek cells and ethyl alcohol was a polymer of DNA; this clouding occurred because DNA is insoluble in alcohol. DNA can then be “spooled” onto the glass rod because the polymers of DNA are now visible.…
- 866 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Sterile the loop/or use a sterile loop and obtain culture of the bacteria from the petri dish or tube. Harvest just enough culture. (only use a tiny amount of culture preparing a smear)…
- 1400 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The first step is to make the gel. The second step is to set up the gel apparatus. The third step is load the DNA sample into the gel. The fourth step is hook up the electrical current and run the gel. The last step is stain the gel and analyze the result.…
- 313 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
· To extract the DNA, isopropanol was added which decreased the polarity of the solvent. The DNA was then extracted by allowing the DNA to wind around a glass rod.…
- 1177 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
The structure of DNA is made of nitrogenous bases, phosphate groups, and sugars. These three parts of DNA form hydrogen bonds and create a right-handed double helix. The location of DNA in a eukaryotic cell is found within the nucleus, bound to proteins. DNA can be extracted from within the cell. They are several steps you must take to retrieve DNA from within the cell. When extracting DNA cells can be treated with certain chemicals that cause the membrane to burst. After, the membrane has been busted DNA can be retrieved from the cells. When extracted from a cell DNA appears to be a sticky, clear, algae substance.…
- 667 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
DNA is an all-around subject that has many different aspects. DNA Profiling, however, is one of our greatest discoveries. This discovery led us to know how to analyze, identify, and match DNA according to certain genes on the DNA. This Profiling has freed many convicted felons, because their DNA didn’t match the person who did commit the crime. DNA Profiling is beneficial to everyone (except felons), it has a small area in its process that people can make mistakes, and is used in many different ways. However, freeing the innocent that were convicted is a big area.…
- 524 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
There are three specific steps required to isolate DNA from its cellular contents. The steps used to remove and expose DNA from its cell are: breaking down the food type you are using by crushing it, for example a banana or strawberries, exposing the substance to a sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, subjecting the product to detergent solution (dH2O), filtering the solution and lastly, the addition of ethanol. When beginning with a solid substance, such as a banana, crushing the substance allows for breaking down the cell membrane and cell wall, if using a plant cell. This ultimately, removes the contents of the cell from the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and further exposes it for the detergent solution. After this step, one would use NaCl solution to stabilize the DNA, since we know that it is negatively charged, due to the phosphate functional group. The way this occurs is when NaCl is added to the solution the molecule dissolves and forms ions. As a result, the positively charged ions neutralize the negative charge on the DNA molecule ("Discovering DNA" 20 Feb. 2014). The technique used to separate the DNA is by adding a detergent liquid to the solution, which allows for the cell membrane to break down. This step specifically emulsifies the phospholipids and proteins that make up the cell membrane ("Discovering DNA" 20 Feb. 2014), in order to further expose the DNA. Then in order to separate the DNA from the proteins and lipids one must use a filter paper with an appropriate pore size so that the flow rate of the solution is effective. Once the flow rate is minimal, the excess in the filter, consisting of cell debris and banana residue, can be disposed and then the filtrate is focused upon. With the specific amount of…
- 1830 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
In this day and age it is a constant battle to keep up with the ever changing technologies. Being properly educated in this field can mean the difference in catching criminals by using their DNA. Knowing how to properly collect, handle, store, and use for evidence can hasten the process of putting a dangerous criminal away for good. Knowing where DNA can be obtained from is key. Sweat, skin, blood, semen, saliva & tissue all holds DNA. You can obtain DNA from a number of items such as a cigarette butts, inside of a hat, bandanna, dirty laundry, stamp, envelope, bottle, can, and so many more items too many to list them all.…
- 1332 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
For this lab I had to prick my finger, then with the bleach solution I had to dab it and then carefully drop the blood on the slide. Once I was finished I had to take the second slide and smear the blood. I had to let the slide dry. Then I had to prick my finger again and make 3 more slides. Then I had to mix the chemical with a toothpick and then look under with the microscope.…
- 728 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Deoxyribonucleic Acid ("DNA") is a six-foot long molecule found in the nucleus of every cell in the body. With the exception of identical twins, each individual’s DNA is unique. Thus the first step in the profiling process is to obtain a sample of the individual’s DNA, which is usually done using a buccal swab (i.e. from the cheek). We could also use a sample of blood, semen or hair. This sample is then analyzed using different techniques; discussed…
- 2231 Words
- 9 Pages
Better Essays -
thing contains DNA. The extraction of DNA from cells and its purification are of primary…
- 1241 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays