Team:ArtScienceBangalore/Notebook/Read here
From 2009.igem.org
Extracting DNA from Banana
What you need
- 3 glass or clear plastic cups
- A cup of water
- A banana
- A spoon
- An eyedropper
- A strainer
- A funnel
- A toothpick
- A tablespoon of salt
- 3 Tablespoons of liquid detergent containing Sodium Laurel Sulphate (look at back of the bottle)
- A third of a cup of rubbing alcohol
What you need to do
- Put the rubbing alcohol in the freezer to chill it.
- Mash the banana up with the spoon.
- Strain the pulp through the funnel into one of the empty glasses (You might need some water to help it through.)
- In another glass stir the detergent and salt together.
- Mix the banana pulp and the salty detergent together for about a minute. Try to avoid bubbles.
- When it settles, gently pour the alcohol down the side of the cup over the back end of the spoon. The alcohol should form a layer over the mixture.
- Soon, you'll see tiny white strands of millions DNA gathering between the two layers.
- Pick them out with the toothpick. They should be white, whiter than the rest of the banana pulp. Admire!