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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to see, by extracting DNA from an
onion; if DNA could survive separated from other cell components. I became
interested in this idea while I was watching "DNA: The Life Cell" on "The
Discovery Channel"
The information gained from this experiment will benefit society by
seeing if DNA will be safe separated from the other cell components.
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HYPOTHESIS
My hypothesis is that the DNA will survive separated from the other
cell components.
I base my hypothesis on scientists who work with DNA.
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EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
The manipulated variable was the separation of the DNA.
The responding variable was how long the DNA lived.
To measure the responding variable I timed how long the DNA lived with
a stopwatch.
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MATERIALS
| QUANTITY |
ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 200mL |
Distilled water |
| 2 |
Onions |
| 1 |
Pair of Glasses |
| 2 |
Bottle of Ethanol |
| 10mL |
Dishwashing detergent |
| 1.5gm |
Table Salt |
| 5mL |
EDTA |
| 3gm |
Meat Tenderizer |
1 |
Cutting Board |
| 1 |
Kitchen knife |
3 |
Coffee Filters |
| 1 |
Large funnel |
1 |
Thermometer |
| 300mL |
Water at 60degrees C |
| 100mL |
Ice |
2 |
Beakers (250mL or bigger) |
| 1 |
Wooden spoon |
| 1 |
Small test tube |
1 |
Plastic transfer pipet |
| 15mL |
Ice-cold Ethanol |
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PROCEDURES
1. Gather Materials
2. Obtain onion, cutting board, and knife. Chop onions into small pieces.
3. Place chopped onions into an empty 250mL beaker.
4. Measure out the following ingredients 10mL of detergent, 5mL EDTA,
and 1.5mLof table salt.
5. Put these ingredients into a 250mL beaker add distilled water to
a volume of 100mL.
6. Measure out 3mL of meat tenderizer into a graduated cylinder. Add
distilled water to a volume of 50mL, and stir to mix thoroughly.
7. Line large funnel with a coffee filter folded to fit.
8. Wet filter with distilled water.
9. Check temperature of water should be around 60 degrees C.
10. Pour detergent mixture over onions.
11. Place onion mixture in hot water for 10-12 min..
12. Cool onion mixture in ice bath for 5 min., to prevent degradation
of the DNA. While the mixture cools, stir gently and press onion pieces
against sides of beaker.
13. Pour mixture into blender, and blend for 1 min. on low speed, then
for 30 seconds on
high speed.
14. Place lined funnel in empty 250-mL beaker, and pour mixture slowly
into funnel.
15. Let liquid filter through into beaker.
16. Once filtered has collected in beaker get about 6 mL of the
filtrate (filling your test tube about 1/3 full).
17. Add about 3.5 mL of the meat tenderizer solution to your test tubes.
18. Swirl gently to mix.
19. Add 15-20 mL of ice-cold ethanol to the onion mixture, by the time
by pouring the ethanol slowly down the side of the test tube.
20. Let test tube sit undisturbed for 2-3 min. Do NOT shake the test
tube.
21. Once you have a whitish mass of DNA, place your glass rod into
test tube so that the end pokes into the mass.
22. Gently swirl rod, since DNA is very long, stringy molecule, it
should spool around the rod so you can lift it out.
23. Place DNA strand into test tube to dry.
24. Time how long the DNA lived, if at all.
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RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to see, by extracting DNA
from an onion; if it could survive separated from other cell components.
The results of the experiment were that DNA could live separated from
the other cell components for a very long while (Years).
See the table and Graph
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was is that the DNA will survive separated from the other
cell components.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted and that
DNA lived separated from the other cell components.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder what would happen
if you took a cold string of DNA and a room temperature and combined them.
If I were to conduct this project again I would use like to use a microorganism
DNA, instead of onion DNA.
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RESEARCH REPORT
History
Gregor Mendel did the first DNA experiments; He kept records of every
plant that was produced through his pea plant experiment. He started
with 34 varieties of pea seeds in which he noticed 7 opposing characteristics
among the plants. The pea plants were self-pollinating plants so Mendel
was able to leave them alone after the first generation. With this
generation he bred a tall plant with a short plant by self cross-pollinating
them. In result, he noticed that all of the offspring were tall.
The change came in the next generation, though, in which, out of the 1,064
plants obtained, 787 were tall and 277 were short, which was about a 3
to 1 average.
The Cell
DNA is the molecule of life. There are two types, RNA and DNA.DNA is
the genetic material that makes up the chromosomes in the nucleus and RNA
is in the cytoplasm, which is in the cell. DNA is the "ladder" of heredity.
DNA called genes determines the organisms. Genes are located in chromosomes,
the threads like things in the nucleus. When cells divide they carry instruction
to form proteins. DNA can contain anywhere from a dozen genes (like in
a virus), to tens of thousands of genes in a higher organism (humans).
When an organism is being created a single DNA cell copies it self to form
two exact offspring!
Genotypes and Phenotypes
Phenotypes are the way chromosomes show themselves physically, such
as short, tall, fat, skinny. Genotypes is the type of organism the alleles
of a certain characteristic, TT, Tt, tt. TT- means that the chromosomes
that carry the alleles for a certain characteristic both have a dominant
gene, Tt- means that one of the chromosomes of a pair has a dominant gene
while the other has a recessive gene for the certain characteristic, tt-
means that the chromosomes that carry the alleles for a certain characteristic
both have a recessive gene.
The Structure of DNA
DNA is the main genetic material in all-living things. Molecule made
up of two complementary strands that are wound around each other in a double
helix. The strands are connected by base pairs that look like steps on
a latter. Each base pair will only connect with one other: (A) adenine
with (T) thymine, (G) guanine with (C) cytosine. We only use 1-3% of are
DNA the rest is used as a "decoy" to stop viruses that would literally
mutate us.
Lysing
Membranes made of fats/oils with some protein tie both the cell
and its nucleus together. The "breaking down" of membranes is called lysing;
in fact thats where "Lysol" the dish detergent got its name. Cells contain
enzymes. Some of them destroy DNA that is not protected inside the nucleus.
Having destroyed the nuclear membranes, it will expose DNA to the enzymes.
For example dishwashing detergent is a type of lysing it breaks down the
grease on dishes.
The Genetic Code
The genetic code is the "blueprint" that makes up every living
organism. It converts information found in DNA into information needed
to make proteins.
Cloning
The dictionary says cloning is the technique of producing a genetically
identical duplicate of an organism. The method that Wilmut and Campbell
used to clone the sheep "Dolly" in 1997 is called Nuclear Transfer. Nuclear
Transfer is transferring the nucleus where the DNA is held, thus where
the genetic information is coded. This is basically what DNA does each
time it separates.
SUMMARY
DNA is the basis of every living thing. It is the most basic
cell next to atoms. DNA has a very unique way of living. DNA is in every
living cell. It thrives in chromosomes and chromosomes live in the nucleus
of every cell, blood, brain, or any other.
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| BIBLIOGRAPHY
"DNA Learning Center"[Online] Available http://vector.cshl.org/
January 3,6,19, 2000
"How to Clone" [Online] Available http://www.ask.com/main/metaanswer.asp
Hussell, Scott. DNA analyst, Seattle Washington (interviewed Dec. 3,
5. Jan. 9)
"Nucleic Acids" The American Medical Association: Encyclopedia of Medicine
Edition 1989 733-734
"Parliamentary Research Branch"[Online] Available http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp443-e.htm
December 12, 2000
"Science Education Partnership" Extraction of DNA [Online] Available
http://www.ucsf.edu/sep/ http://www.fhcrc.com
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Acknowledgements
The people I would like to thank would be mainly
Mr. Scott Hussell, he helped me put this project togother and supported
me all along the way. Another person I would like to thank would be my
mom she supporded me and was there all along the way. I would also like
to thank Mr. Newkirk and Mrs. Pasckvalefor putting up with me though all
my faults. I would also like to thank anyone that helped me that I have
forgoten in this paragraph.
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