Deoxyribonucleic Acid Extraction Experimentation

Aim

Our aim in this experiment with the DNA of kiwifruit and investigate it.

Equipment

Scientific Spatula

A kiwifruit half

(Scientific) Spatula

Ziploc bag

(25mL of) Water

A pinch of salt

(Small) Cloth

Funnel

Beaker

Test tube

(A squirt of) Dishwashing liquid

10 mL of Ethanol

Method

1. Cut the kiwifruit in half and, using a spatula, scoop it out into the Ziploc bag.
2. Add 25mL of water and a pinch of salt.
3. Close the bag and mush the kiwifruit into a soup-like paste.
4. Place the cloth of the top of the funnel and the funnel over the beaker. Pour the liquid into the funnel/cloth. 
5. Pour the liquid from the beaker into a test tube.
6. Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to the liquid and swirl. Allow sitting for five minutes.
7. Tilt the test tube on a 45-degree angle and slowly pour the 10mL of Ethanol into the concoction.
8. Allow the mixture to sit.

Results

The concoction after step 6.

The result was the concoction, after all the steps and allowed to sit, the concoction had white strands that rose to the top. This was the result of our experiment. It seemed to separate into three sections, the top looked like white strands all clumped together to form a cloud, the middle separated the 'foam' and the next part and appeared to be clear and seemed like water, the last and bottom part of the concoction looked like it was the juice of a kiwifruit and was a similar shade of green.

Discussion

The different liquids and equipment added to the mixture allowed us to see the DNA easier in the end. 

The water added to the kiwifruit helped break it up easier and didn't provide many other uses. The salt added would help the DNA of the kiwifruit clump together as seen as the white foam appearing at the top of the concoction.

The concoction after all steps.

The detergent provided use in the way that it helped the DNA become more prominent than just the white foam. It helped the DNA become more bubbly and easier to look at and study.
The Ethanol was what provided the strands of DNA or the foam to rise to the top. Ethanol has a different density to the water, therefore rising to the top, and bringing the DNA strands with it.

Conclusion

The conclusion of this experiment is that the experiment was a success as our only aim was to extract the DNA, not to delve into scientific experiments with the DNA itself. We were able to extract the DNA of the kiwifruit and just have a play around with it. We really had to do nothing but just extract the DNA.