BUKIDNON STATE UNIVERSITY

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon 8700

Tel (088) 813-5661 to 5663; TeleFax (088) 813-2717, www.buksu.edu.ph

NAME: BERNADETH LAZAGA

INSTRUCTOR: Mrs. MARITES M. EGAR
SECTION CODE: A463
SCHEDULE: M/TH 1-4:00 PM

BIO-TECHNIQUE
Activity 5. EXTRACT YOUR OWN DNA

I. INTRODUCTION

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a chemical found in the nucleus of cells that

contains the blueprint for the development and function of living organisms. It’s
compared to a set of blueprints since it contains the instructions on how to build cells.
The instructions are divided into segments along a strand of DNA and are called genes.

DNA was known to be a long polymer composed of only four types of subunits,
which resemble one another chemically. Early in the 1950s, DNA was first examined by
x-ray diffraction analysis, a technique for determining the three-dimensional atomic
structure of a molecul. The early x-ray diffraction results indicated that DNA was
composed of two strands of the polymer wound into a helix. The observation that DNA
was double-stranded was of crucial significance and provided one of the major clues
that led to the Watson-Crick structure of DNA. Only when this model was proposed did
DNA’s potential for replication and information encoding become apparent. In this
section we examine the structure of the DNA molecule and explain in general terms
how it is able to store hereditary information. DNA molecule consists of two long
polynucleotide chains composed of four types of nucleotide subunits. Each of these
chains is known as a DNA chain, or a DNA strand. Hydrogen bonds between the base
portions of the nucleotides hold the two chains together (Albert, B. 2002).

II. OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this exercises is to isolate DNA from check cells.

III. MATERIALS/ METHODOLOGY

The materials that was use during the extraction the DNA laboratory activity was
the

1) Dish washing soap

2) Ethanol
3) Water
4) Water 500ml
5) Salt
 BUKIDNON STATE UNIVERSITY
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon 8700
Tel (088) 813-5661 to 5663; TeleFax (088) 813-2717, www.buksu.edu.ph

6) Plastic cup/glass
7) Food coloring
8) Cellphone

PROCEDURE

1) Add salt to a bottle of drinking water, recap and shake to dissolve.

2) Transfer 3 tbsp. of the salt water into a clear cup or glass.
3) Gargle the salt water for 1 minute. Don’t swallow it!
4) Spit the water back into the cup.
5) Add one drop of detergent to the salt water. Stir gently with a spoon or swirl. Try
Not to create any bubbles.
6) In a separate cup, mix the alcohol and 1-3 drop(s) food coloring.
7) Gently pour the alcohol and food coloring mixture on top of the salt-water gargle.
*Tilt the salt-water cup as you pour, so the alcohol mixture forms a layer on top of
the salt water.
8) Wait for 2.5 minutes. You should see white clumps and string forming. If not,
9) Gently swirl, you should see the white strings forming. The white clumps and
Thread are your DNA!

IV. OBSERVATION/DOCUMENTION

Figure 1. The materials that were used during the activity.

 BUKIDNON STATE UNIVERSITY
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon 8700
Tel (088) 813-5661 to 5663; TeleFax (088) 813-2717, www.buksu.edu.ph

Figure 2. The stringy strands or clumps are a tangible representation of DNA.

During the experiment, I made several noteworthy observations. Initially, as we

expelled the salt-infused water after rinsing our mouths, I noticed the presence of white
particles suspended within the liquid. Following the addition of the alcohol and food
coloring mixture, I observed that this substance primarily remained at the outermost
layer of the solution. It’s important to mention that you’ll likely detect the presence of a
white substance in the saltwater solution while gargling. Approximately two minutes
later, a conspicuous appearance of DNA filaments became evident at the uppermost
layer of the solution. Additionally, after a short period of time, I noticed the formation
of white DNA clusters settling at the bottom of the glass, further highlighting the
successful extraction and visualization of our genetic material. In Fig. 2, you will see
some stringy strands. These strands or clumps represent a tangible representation of
DNA.

V. CONCLUSION

The ability to extract DNA is essential for researching the genetic origins of illness
and for creating medications and diagnostic tools. In addition, it is necessary for
forensic science, genome sequencing, environmental virus and bacteria detection, and
paternity testing. I’ve accomplished a noteworthy first in the “Extract Your Own DNA”
experiment by effectively separating DNA from the sample I prepared. Despite its
apparent simplicity, this extraction procedure serves as a vital basis for numerous
scientific pursuits. The genetic code that preserves the secrets of our uniqueness is
included in the separated DNA, which can serve as the basis for a variety of studies.
This DNA is quite versatile and may be used for many different purposes. For example,
it can be used for DNA sequencing, which allows us to decode its genetic information
letter by letter, or for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which amplifies particular
sections for in-depth examination. Utilizing this DNA can also be used to investigate
gene expression, genetic differences, and even the relationships between species in
terms of evolution.

VI. REFERENCE

Alberts, B. (2002). The structure and function of DNA. Molecular Biology of the
Cell – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26821/
Common uses for DNA extraction for labs. (2020, July 9). Revolutionary Science.
https://www.revsci.com/blogs/biotechnology/common-uses-for-dna-extraction
DNA extraction isolates DNA from biological material. (n.d.).
WhatisBiotechnology.org.
 BUKIDNON STATE UNIVERSITY
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon 8700
Tel (088) 813-5661 to 5663; TeleFax (088) 813-2717, www.buksu.edu.ph

https://www.whatisbiotechnology.org/index.php/science/summary/extraction/dna-
extraction-isolates-dna-from-biological-material#:~:text=The%20ability%20to%20extract
%20DNA,environment%20and%20for%20determining%20paternity.
What is DNA?: MedlinePlus Genetics. (n.d.).
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/basics/dna/
What is DNA? (n.d.). @Yourgenome · Science Website.
https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-dna/