DNA Extraction From Strawberries - Maia Mejia-Young

 

DNA Extraction

Hidden inside an ordinary strawberry is an extraordinary blueprint of life, revealed through a simple DNA extraction using everyday materials. To wrap up the first semester, Team AP Bio broke into smaller groups to perform a DNA extraction lab on strawberries to actually see DNA!

The DNA extraction lab, using strawberries, soap, and alcohol, helped me better understand how DNA exists inside cells and how DNA can be separated and observed. By crushing the strawberries, my group physically broke down the cell walls, while the soap dissolved cell membranes and nuclear membranes to release the DNA. The salt helped the DNA strands clump together, making the strands easier to see, and the cold alcohol caused the DNA to precipitate out of the solution. Seeing the white, stringy DNA form in the alcohol made the concept feel real rather than abstract. The lab showed how simple household materials can model complex biological processes. Overall, the activity reinforced how DNA is present in all living things and how scientific techniques allow students to isolate the DNA for study.

My group could have improved our video by more clearly explaining the role and influence of alcohol in the experiment, especially why the alcohol has to be very cold. Adding more information on alcohol would help viewers better understand the science behind what was happening, rather than just seeing the steps performed. We also could have improved the organization of the video by grouping all of the background information together at the beginning instead of placing the procedure in the middle, which disrupted the flow and made the video feel less cohesive. Finally, spending more time clearly demonstrating and explaining the mashing of the strawberries would have made the procedure easier to follow and helped emphasize why mashing strawberries is important for breaking down cell walls and releasing DNA.

Try extracting DNA from strawberries at home, and check out this website for more easy labs to conduct at home! Leave a comment below if you enjoyed extracting DNA just as much as I did!

Citations:

Animated biology With arpan. “Salting in and Salting Out | How Does Salting Out Happen? | What Is Salting in of Proteins?” YouTube, 4 Jan. 2020, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnhUh6qVD5Y 

Libretexts. “Molecular Polarity.” Chemistry LibreTexts, 30 Jan. 2023, chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/Atomic_and_Molecular_Properties/Molecular_Polarity.

Libretexts. “19.2: Synthetic Detergents.” Chemistry LibreTexts, 14 Feb. 2021, chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Honolulu_Community_College/CHEM_100%3A_Chemistry_and_Society/19%3A_Household_Chemicals/19.02%3A_Synthetic_Detergents.

Libretexts. “4.2: DNA Extraction.” Biology LibreTexts, 28 May 2024, bio.libretexts.org/Courses/Harrisburg_Area_Community_College/BIOL_108%3A_Biology_for_Non-Majors_Lab_Manual/04%3A_Lab_3-_Biotechnology/4.02%3A_DNA_Extraction.

Oswald, Nick. “Ethanol Precipitation of DNA and RNA: An Authoritative Guide.” Bitesize Bio, 22 July 2024, bitesizebio.com/253/the-basics-how-ethanol-precipitation-of-dna-and-rna-works/#:~:text=The%20positively%20charged%20sodium%20ions,is%20often%20recommended%20in%20protocols.

Strawberry DNA Extraction Activity. 10 Aug. 2020, imb.uq.edu.au/strawberry-dna-extraction-activity.

Gupta, Nalini. “DNA Extraction and Polymerase Chain Reaction.” Journal of Cytology, vol. 36, no. 2, Jan. 2019, p. 116. https://doi.org/10.4103/joc.joc_110_18.