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Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab | A Fruity Experiment

Use rubbing alcohol, dish soap, salt and a coffee filter in this strawberry DNA
extraction lab. A simple science experiment to do at home.
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We’ve been at home for about a month now waiting out COVID-19 and I’m on the
look out for easy science experiments for middle school and high school that use
common household items.
Making smoothies the other day I remembered the strawberry DNA
extraction lab we do near the beginning of the semester in Science 9.
This is a simple science experiment that uses only 4 ingredients, water and a coffee
filter.
Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab

The Science Behind this Experiment

Strawberry DNA & Chromosomes

In animals and plants, DNA is organized into chromosomes located inside the cell
nucleus. Strawberries have 7 chromosomes that may be in diploid pairs or octoploid
sets, depending on the species.
The genome of the most popular (and tasty!) variety, Fragaria x ananassa, an
octoploid, was sequenced in 2019 with over 100 000 genes identified and about 813.4
megabases long!

Why bother sequencing the genome of a crop like strawberries?

Knowing a plant’s genome helps scientists genetically engineer crops to possess more
desirable traits, like:

 the ability to withstand extreme growing conditions, like drought or cold

 the ability to resist disease (instead of using fungicides & pesticides)
 better quality, ex. scab resistance
 improved nutritional value
 and even make them tastier!

To sequence an entire strawberry genome, you first need to extract the DNA
from cells.

You probably don’t have the equipment (or time!) to sequence an entire strawberry
genome and study individual genes in your science class. But you can do this first step
and show your students what DNA looks like!
Before we get to the strawberry DNA extraction lab materials and procedure, let’s
go over the basic steps of DNA extraction.
3 Steps to DNA Extraction
Regardless of the eukaryotic cell you are using, a DNA extraction lab involves the
same three steps.

STEP 1 | CELL LYSIS

First, you need to break open the cells to release the DNA from the nucleus. Plant cells
are tough because of cellulose, so mechanically mushing the strawberries is an
important first step to break down the strong cell walls.

Dish soap and DNA extraction

Next, a detergent is needed to chemically break down the lipid cell membrane of the
strawberries. Detergents (dish soap in this lab) make proteins in the lipid layer more
soluble. This disrupts the protein-protein, lipid-lipid and protein-lipid bonds in the
membrane, causing the cell membrane to lyse and release its contents.

STEP 2 | PRECIPITATE THE DNA

At this point DNA has been released from the strawberry cells, however it’s mixed in
with other organelles and cellular bits.

DNA is highly polar due to the negative charges on its phosphate groups. This makes
DNA very soluble in water.

To separate DNA from the other cellular contents released during cell lysis, we need
to reduce DNAs solubility in water and cause it to precipitate.

Salt and DNA extraction

To do this, we need an ion like Na+ (salt!) that has a stronger positive charge than
water. The Na+ from salt and the PO3- from the DNA backbone form ionic bonds,
which causes the DNA to disassociate from the weak positive charge of water.

How is alcohol used in DNA extraction?

The nonpolar rubbing alcohol added in the final steps of this strawberry DNA
extraction lab forces the phosphate groups and sodium ions to form even stronger
ionic bonds, which further helps the DNA to precipitate out of solution.

STEP 3 | DNA PURIFICATION

If this strawberry DNA was destined for biotechnology or genetic engineering

applications (like those mentioned above), it would likely be further purified to
remove additional contaminants and the sequence amplified using PCR.

However, in our science class, we just want to get a look at strawberry

DNA, so this is where our DNA extraction lab ends.
Keep in mind, a single strand of DNA is too small to see with the naked eye. In this
strawberry DNA extraction lab we are extracting DNA from A LOT of strawberry
cells. Since many strands of strawberry DNA clump together when we swirl the stick
at the layer between the filtrate and the alcohol, we are able to see it!
Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab Materials

 125 ml rubbing alcohol (cold)

 2.5 ml salt
 80 ml water
 15 ml dish soap
 3-4 fresh or frozen strawberries (cold & no stems!)
 2 beakers/bowls/glasses
 coffee filter
 funnel
 sandwich bag
 tooth pick
 timer
 freezer and/or ice
Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab Procedure

1. Keep the alcohol in the freezer or on ice until you’re ready to use it.
2. Place the funnel in a beaker.
3. Put the coffee filter inside the funnel – wet the coffee filter a little bit to help it
stick to the funnel. Set aside.
4. Put 3-4 strawberries in a sealed sandwich bag with as much of the air removed as
possible. Mush up the strawberries as much as you can. Set aside.
5. MAKE LYSIS SOLUTION: In a bowl mix 2.5 ml salt, 80 ml water & 15 ml dish
soap.
6. To the bag of mushed strawberries, add 45 ml of the lysis solution. Seal the bag!
7. Mush this together for about 1 minute.
8. Pour the strawberry mixture into the funnel with the coffee filter and let the liquid
drip down into the beaker – this is the FILTRATE. Let it drip for 2-3 minutes.

9. Remove the funnel with the coffee filter and remaining strawberries.
10.Then, very slowly and carefully, pour the cold alcohol down the side of the beaker
to form a ~3 cm layer on top of the filtrate. DO NOT MIX THE LAYERS!
11.Twirl a toothpick or stirring rod where the layers meet. Look closely, what is
wrapping around the stick?

Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab Discussion Questions

1. Give a definition for cell lysis. Identify the part(s) of the procedure where i)
mechanical cell lysis, and ii) chemical cell lysis occurred.
2. Explain the role of dish soap in a DNA extraction lab procedure. Use the terms
lipids, proteins and membrane in your answer.
3. Explain the role of salt in DNA extraction. Use the terms water, sodium ions,
phosphate groups and ionic bonds in your answer.
4. Explain the role of alcohol in DNA extraction. Use the terms sodium ions,
phosphate groups, ionic bonds and precipitate in your answer.
5. What was the purpose of using cold rubbing alcohol?
Other Fruit DNA Extractions?

I read that you can use other fruit for DNA extraction labs. Since I happened to have
some bananas that were close to being past their prime we decided to give it a go.

Turns out, I prefer strawberries for DNA extraction labs.

Why? In the last step, a lot of precipitate formed when the alcohol was added. It was
quite chunky and clumpy, and, well, resembled a mushed banana. I’m not sure
students would realize they had extracted DNA, but think they were back to where
they started – with mashed bananas.

The extracted strawberry DNA does not resemble a strawberry and was “stringy.” It’s
more obvious that this is something different than the whole strawberries we started
the science experiment with.

I’ll let you know if I try any other fruit DNA extractions!