DNA Extraction Principles

How do you get DNA

out of a whole organism?
 How do you get DNA out of a
strawberry?
Plant Cell

Nucleus:
DNA & protein

Cytoplasm: proteins etc

Cell membrane: lipids and protein

Plant Cell Wall: cellulose and protein matrix

 Mashing the berry disrupts
the cells and membranes

What is in the bag?

2. Clumps of whole cells and nuclei
3. Cell Membranes: lipids and protein
4. Organelles made of protein
4. Plant Cell Wall: cellulose and protein
5. DNA bound to protein

What does the

detergent and NaCl
do to the cell parts?
 What does detergent and NaCl do?

1. Detergent: dissolves the

membranes and disrupts proteins.

2. Na+ ions break apart the protein

that is stuck to the DNA.

How do we separate the

clumps of cells from the
small molecules?
 Filtering
-Clumps of cellular
debris get stuck in
the filter.
-Small molecules
flow thru.

How do we get
the DNA to
separate from
the pink liquid?
Precipitate the DNA with cold alcohol

• DNA is not soluble in

cold alcohol
• All small molecules
stay in solution
except DNA
• Long strands of DNA
spool onto the stick
 Summary
1. Break open cells by mashing the fruit.
2. Dissolve organelles and cell membranes with
detergent.
3. Separate DNA from proteins with salt:
• Na(+) is attracted to (–)DNA so it bumps off the
protein.
4. Filter out the clumps with a coffee filter
5. DNA precipitates in cold alcohol and is
spooled out.
 DNA Properties
a. Texture – strands of cellular DNA are very long
(thus we can spool it)

b. Solubility – DNA is soluble in water, insoluble in

alcohol

c. pH – ?

d. Can you see individual

strands of DNA?