Name:_______________________________ Date:_________________

Section:______________________________

General Biology 1
Laboratory Activity No. 4
DNA Extraction
Materials:
Sterile 20 mL centrifuge 90% ethanol or denatured Test tube rack
tubes alcohol Rubber stopper
Liquid Dishwashing Soap Test tubes Syringe
Beakers NSS

Safety Precautions:
1. This experiment will use sharps (syringe). To avoid injury, dispose all used and broken
sharps in a waste bottle away from everyone’s work area.
2. This experiment will expose you to volatile vapors. Always use gloves and mask to
protect you from exposure.
3. If someone has been injured, inform the instructor immediately.
Cheek Cells
1. Gargle a mouthful of normal saline solution for 5-8 minutes. Use a clean cup to put the
solution in your mouth. Dispose the syringe in the sharps bottle after use.
2. Put the gargled solution in a clean beaker. Put 1 part liquid dishwashing soap per 2 parts
of the solution. Put the solution in a clean, capped test tube. The cap should be either be
made up of plastic or rubber. Do not use a cork stopper.
3. GENTLY rock the test tubes for 2-3 minutes to mix the soap and solution together. Do
not shake.
4. After homogenization of the solution and the soap, put the test tube in a test tube rack
then distribute equal amounts of denatured alcohol to the amount of the solution in the
test tube. You may decrease the amount of the solution if the space in the test tube is
not enough.
5. Observe for the separation of the two fluids. Also, observe for the materials that will
surface from the solution. Document the results.

Germinated Seeds
1. Macerate a spoonful of V. radiata seeds using a mortar and pestle. Better results yield
from finer maceration.
2. Put 30 mL distilled water and 20 mL dishwashing liquid. Gently shake the pestle for 5-8
minutes.
3. Put the solution in a small (50 mL) beaker. Put equal amounts of denatured alcohol. You
may decrease the amount of the solution if the space in the beaker is not enough.
4. Observe for the separation of the two fluids. Also, observe for the materials that will
surface from the solution. Document the results.

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Results
Draw the outcome of the experiment.

Guide Questions
1. What applications can this procedure be used?
2. Is the DNA produced pure human DNA? Why or why not?
3. What is the composition of the resulting condensed solid?

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