DNA Extraction from Cheek Cell at Home

Discover the magic of DNA. These molecules are found inside just about
every cell in your body – determining your physical attributes, including hair, eye and
skin colour, and blood type. It’s the stuff that makes you, you. So, it’s no wonder
scientists have been studying DNA for decades.

In this simple experiment, you’ll learn how to extract you own.

Materials needed:
- Narrow glass like a test tube, I used shot glass (the narrower the glass, the better)
- 2 teaspoons ice cold 70% isopropyl alcohol
- 5 teaspoons dishwashing liquid
- 100 ml water]
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 drops of pineapple juice
- glass for mixing
- water for initial mouthwash

Method:
- Swish a mouthful of water in your mouth for about 2 minutes and spit it into an
empty glass.
- Add a teaspoon of salt into the swished water and mix thoroughly.
- In another glass, pour the 100ml water and add the 5 teaspoons of dishwashing
liquid. Stir the soap solution gently, minimizing bubble formation.
- Add 2 teaspoons of the soap solution into the salt water cup containing the
mouthwash (your spit).
- Transfer the liquid cell solution into the narrow glass until the glass is 1/3 full.
- Add a few drops of pineapple juice and gently mix the solution.
- Take the isopropyl alcohol out of the freezer and pour about 2 teaspoons of alcohol
into the narrow glass solution.
- Allow the alcohol to travel down the side of the glass and form an layer above the
liquid cell mixture.
- Leave it for about 5 minutes.
- You should now be able to see a small amount of web-like within the clear layer of
the narrow glass. These are strands of your DNA clumped together.

Conclusion:
The swishing motion you did with your mouth removed some cells from your
cheeks. The dishwashing liquid and pineapple juice contains enzymes that can break
down/digest cells. The salt helps to further break down the cells. Before you add the
alcohol, the DNA is dissolved in the mixture. As DNA is very light, it floats up into the
alcohol and clumps together enabling you to see it.
 Protein Denaturation in an Egg White

When a solution of a protein is boiled, the protein frequently becomes

insoluble—i.e., it is denatured—and remains insoluble even when the solution is
cooled. The denaturation of the proteins of egg white by heat—as when boiling an
egg—is an example of irreversible denaturation. The denatured protein has the same
primary structure as the original, or native, protein.

Denaturation is the process of modifying the conformation of the protein

structures without rupturing the native peptide linkages. This inactivates the
functionality of the protein molecules, decreases its solubility, decreases/destroys its
biological activity, improves digestibility and alters the water binding ability of the
molecule. Denaturation of proteins is achieved by disrupting the hydrogen bonding
in the peptide linkage by applying external stress. It can be carried out by applying
heat, treatment with alcohols, heavy metals, or acids/bases.

Materials needed:
- Egg white
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- Vinegar
- 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
- Distilled Water
- Syringe
- Spoon and Fork
- Cooking Pan and Cooking Stove

Method:

Procedure A: Sample Preparation for Proteins

I poured in 45ml of water and 5ml of egg white into the mixing bowl and mixed
thoroughly. The texture is watery and has white spots from the egg white, it also has
bubbles due to beating.

Procedure B: Effect of Mechanical Agitation

I placed 5ml of Egg white into the mixing bowl and beat it thoroughly. The color
changes from transparent to white and has bubbles due to beating.

Procedure C: Effect of Heat

Turned on the cooking stove in a very low fire and placed cooking pan on top of it
and poured 5ml of egg white. Waited for a minute and removed the egg white from
the pan and placed it in a plate. The liquid egg white became solid after being
exposed to the heat.
Procedure D: Effect of Alcohol
Placed 2ml of Egg Albumin Solution into the mixing bowl and added 5ml of 70%
Isopropyl Alcohol. Mixed it thoroughly. The texture watery, cloudy and has small
white spots.

Procedure E: Effect of Acid

Placed 2ml of Egg Albumin Solution into the mixing bowl and added 5ml of Vinegar.
Mixed thoroughly. The texture was watery and not so cloudy compared to the Egg
Albumin with Alcohol solution, it also has small white spots.