Discussion

In this laboratory activity, the students isolated DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid from saliva using common
household materials. Each student performed the process individually using his/her own sample. The first
step was to collect 10 mL of saliva. The saliva is laden with cells, shed from the cheeks and mouth lining,
which are full of DNA. A lot of students had trouble salivating and took a long time in this step. Also, some
students ended up extracting not as much DNA as the other students – the collecting of saliva part had
something to do with this encountered problem. Although not stated in the instructions, since the cells
which are full of DNA are shed from the cheeks and mouth lining, best results will be obtained if the saliva
comes from the side of the mouth and not from the throat.

The next step was to add 10 drops of dish soap to the saliva sample. This will break open the cells, a
process called lysis. Cell membranes are made up of two layers consisting of fats, sugars and salts. The
fats are on the inside of the membrane where they can avoid touching the water that surrounds the cell.
Detergent molecules have two ends. One end of a detergent molecule is attracted to fat and the other
end is attracted to water. When you wash your dinner plate; the fat-loving end of the dish detergent
molecule attaches to the grease from your hamburger and the water-loving end attaches to the water in
the sink. In the cheek solution, the detergent is used to move the broken up cell membranes away from
the DNA.

After dish soap, 10 drops of pineapple juice were added. This will clean up some of the proteins that have
spilled out of the cells alongside the DNA. Pineapple juice contains enzymes that further help to break
down the cell membrane. 1 tablespoon (or approximately a pinch) of table salt was added to the soapy
saliva. This caused the DNA to start clumping together thus became easier to remove.

The ingredients were then mixed. 20 mL of isopropyl alcohol was added gradually. In this step,
precipitation was observed. Precipitation is the process of separating a substance from a solution as a
solid. Precipitation separates the DNA so that it can no longer remain dissolved and so that it can be seen.
DNA is less dense than water and alcohol, so the DNA rises to the alcohol layer. Also the DNA is soluble in
water and insoluble in alcohol, so when it is just in the mixture it is quite invisible but once the alcohol is
added it condensates by precipitation to the point where it is very visible. The figure below shows what
happened when alcohol was added to the solution:

Figure 1 | The solution upon the addition of alcohol.

Generally, DNA appears as a long strand of molecules held together by bonds. The DNA extracted and
precipitated looked like a long, stringy white fibers in a clump. It can be easily identifiable that each
individual strand was a piece of DNA. The salt added aided it in sticking altogether. Thus, the result are
just clumps of tangled DNA molecules. The white, stringy mass is a mixture of DNA and RNA. Cells with
more chromosomes contain relatively more DNA, but the difference will not likely be noticeable to the
eye. The amount of DNA seen by the naked eye depends more on the ratio of DNA to cell volume.

DNA extraction plays a vital role in studies of or relating to genetics. With the ability to remove DNA from
an organism, scientist can observe, manipulate, and classify the DNA. The extraction of DNA is vital to
studying genetics, causes of diseases, and development of diagnostics and drugs. It is the stepping stone
for numerous applications to biotechnology. It is also essential in determining the characteristics of DNA
and its structure and function. Scientist can identify genetic disorders or diseases from studying DNA and
can possibly find cures for these diseases by manipulating or experimenting with this DNA. Scientists can
accurately sort organisms into classes because of DNA uniqueness. If we didn't have DNA extraction, it
would be a lot harder to decide which organisms are different from each other. Scientists can also
genetically engineer some organisms to produce beneficial things. A common example is that of insulin.
Scientists can genetically engineer insulin production so that people with diabetes can live longer. Lastly,
extraction of DNA is a foundation in opening doors for finding possible cures and answers for certain
problems (Sherwin, 2013).

Source

Abbas, A. (2017). What is the function of detergent in DNA extraction?. Retrieved March 30, 2019 from
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_function_of_detergent_in_
DNA_extraction/amp

Jade, D. (n. d.). DNA Strawberry Lab. Retrieved March 30, 2019 from
https://quizlet.com/172704690/dna-strawberry-lab-flash-cards/

Sherwin, D. (2013). Importance of being able to extract DNA? Retrieved March 30, 2019 from
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080206173945AAd9788