MC2-BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY

DO-IT-AT-HOME EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT 2B

PROTEIN DENATURATION (PRELIM)

Household materials:

1. Medicine cups
2. Mixing bowl
3. Spoon and fork
4. Kitchen tong
5. Egg separator
6. Syringe/Dropper
7. Cooking stove

Household Ingredients:

1. Egg white – 15ml

2. Vinegar
3. 70% alcohol available at home
4. Distilled water

PROCEDURE

A. Sample Preparation for Proteins

Egg Albumin Solution- mix 5ml of egg white in 45ml water

B. Effect of Mechanical agitation

1. Get 5 ml from the remaining egg white above.

2. Transfer the egg white into a bowl.
3. Using a fork or whisk, beat the egg white until change of color from transparent to white.
4. Record your observation.

C. Effect of Heat

1. Cook 5 ml of egg white in you pan at a very low heat for a minute.
2. Remove the egg and place it in a plate.
3. Compare the result with the original egg white.

D. Effect of alcohol

1. Place 2.0 ml of egg albumin solution in a medicine cup.

2. Add 5.0 ml of 70% alcohol available at home.
3. Stir and leave for 5 minutes.
4. Compare the result with the original egg white.
E. Effect of Acid

1. Place 2.0 ml of egg albumin solution in a medicine cup.

2. Add 5.0 ml vinegar.
3. Mix thoroughly and leave for 5 minutes.
4. Compare the result with the standard.
 EXPERIMENT 4A

NUCLEIC ACID (MIDTERM)

What to bring

1 pc banana

Household materials:

Clear glass container

Spoon/stirring rod/strainer/ stick
Ziplock bag
blender (optional)
Coffee filter paper or gauge pad or katsa

Household Chemicals:

Dishwashing liquid
Distilled water
Table salt (NaCl)
Ethyl alcohol (50ml refrigerated)

PROCEDURE

1. Peel banana and put it into Ziplock bag (Blender can be used but optional)
2. Mash the banana into a pulp
3. Dissolve 1 tbsp of salt in a cup of warm water
4. Pour the salt solution in mashed banana and mix
5. Add 1 tbsp of dishwashing liquid and mix
6. Filter the banana using the gauge pad to get the extract.
7. Add 15 ml of the refrigerated 70% ethyl alcohol to the extract. Let it stand for a few minutes.
8. Let the mixture stand for 5-10 minutes undisturbed. Observe for a bubble
formation and DNA will precipitate out of the solution. DNA will appear as white
filamentous (gelatin-like) material in the ethanol layer.
 EXPERIMENT 6A

CARBOHYDRATES (FINALS)

Household materials:
Clean plates/paper plates
Dropper/syringe
Newspaper
Spoon/scoop
Disposable plastic cups or container
Tissue/paper towel

Household Ingredient:
Bread
Potato
Milk (liquid form)
Starch solution (cornstarch in water)
Sucrose solution (table sugar in water)
Betadine

PROCEDURE
A. Preparation of starch solution:
1. Add ½ teaspoon of cornstarch into a bowl with small amount of water.
2. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add the mixture into 100ml boiling water.
4. Boil for 1 minute and then cool.
5. Label the solution and cover.

B. Preparation of sugar solution:

1. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar into a glass
2. Add 100ml water.
3. Mix thoroughly.

C. Iodine Test
1. Working surface must be covered with newspaper
2. Place 5 ml each of starch solution, sugar solution and milk in different plastic cups
3. Place small amount of bread and peeled potato in different paper plates.
4. Add 2-3 drops of betadine to each of the cups and paper plates and note the changes.
5. Record observations in tabular form. Color change/observation. Is starch present?

D. Fehling’s Test for reducing sugar (Will be performed by the instructor in the lab, see video)