Why do fruits contain dna

To precipitate DNA Make sure you get an adult to help you with this part! Extraction mixture — We call it an extraction mixture because you are removing or extracting the DNA from the cell. Solution — A solution contains one thing dissolved in another. For example, a salt solution is made up of salt dissolved in water. DNA can be extracted from your hair or saliva and is unique to each individual refer back to the worksheet, exercise one children may look similar to their parents but they are not identical.

A group of scientists called forensic scientists can use DNA, collected at a crime scene, to work out who committed the crime. From Y6 children should be learning to;. While pupils at this age are not expected to understand how genes and chromosomes work, many pupils will be aware, to some extent, of DNA. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4. Assemble the DNA filter by draping a coffee filter over a plastic cup.

Make sure the bottom of the filter does not touch the bottom of the cup, and the top of the filter is folded over the cup to hold it in place.

Pour the strawberry mixture into the coffee filter and let it drain for five to 10 minutes. Pour a small amount three to four milliliters of the filtered strawberry solution into a test tube.

Tilt the tube and pour an equal amount of cold isopropyl alcohol into the test tube. The DNA will precipitate to the top of the solution and will resemble a white, fluffy cloud.

What's happening? How common are genes in food? See related questions What is genetic modification GM of crops and how is it done? How does GM differ from conventional plant breeding? Who is paying for GM crop development and who owns the technology? Discussion Questions To extract DNA from cells, what must you isolate it from in the case of a plant such as strawberry? What steps did we use to extract the DNA? What is DNA used for when it is extracted?

After the cell walls have been disrupted during mechanical mashing of the fruit, the detergent in the shampoo disrupts the cell and nuclear membranes of each cell to release the DNA. It does this by dissolving lipids and proteins that hold the membranes together. It also causes proteins and carbohydrates to precipitate. They are there to protect the cell from invasion by viruses. Once the nuclear membrane is destroyed by the soap, the DNA is now susceptible to the DNases and will quickly be degraded.

However, these enzymes are temperature sensitive and cooling the solution slows down the process of degradation. Everything except the DNA will dissolve in ethanol. The ethanol pulls water from the DNA molecule so that it then collapses in on itself and precipitates. The DNA will become visible as white mucous strands that can be spooled with the wooden applicator stick.

The colder the ethanol is the greater the amount of DNA that is precipitated.