Performance Task 2

in General Biology 1

Members:

Bidon, Miguel Andrei

Celestra, Maria Ysabelle

Mercado, Denise

Palma, Rian Joseph

Santos, Trisha Mae

Fajardo, Derrick

Tabion, Lester

Labrador, Nico

Submitted to:

Ms. Marjorie L. Elambo

 Laboratory Activity # 2

DNA Extraction from Fruits

Introduction

DNA as a blueprint of life can be extracted from plant and animal sources. In this
laboratory activity, you will extract DNA common fruits, then investigate how it looks like.

Objective:

Extract DNA from common fruits.

Materials:

Tomato, Banana Erlenmeyer flask

Cheesecloth, Test tubes 100mL beaker

Ethyl alcohol, Ziplock bag 10 mL graduated cylinder

Graduated cylinders DNA buffer

Procedure:

1st: Create your DNA buffer by mixing these ingredients:

Dish soap, water, and salt. Mix 25mL of Dish Soap
with 75mL of distilled water.

Add 10g of salt.

 2nd: Gently smash the tomato and the banana in 2
separate Ziplock containers. Continue to do so until its
consistency becomes similar to baby food.

3rd: Add 10mL of DNA buffer each to the two

plastic bags containing the banana and the
tomato, respectively. Mix well and continue to smash for
a minute or two.

4th: Carefully drain the banana and the tomato extract into two separate test tubes
using a funnel and a cheesecloth, filling in the ¼ of the test tube.
 5th: Pour an equal amount of ethyl alcohol into the test tubes. Tilt the test tubes as
you pour, so the alcohol forms a layer on top of fruit mixture. After waiting for 2-3
minutes, you should see white clumps and strings forming and floating above the
mixture.

Data

Draw the DNA you see in each of your test tubes:

Post laboratory questions:

1. Describe the molecular structure of the DNA. In which organelle does DNA
synthesis occur in eukaryotes? What is the main purpose of the DNA?

- The nucleus is a membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Inside the

nucleus lies the blueprint that dictates everything a cell will do and all the products
it will make. This information is stored within DNA. The nucleus sends “commands”
to the cell via molecular messengers that translate the information from DNA. Each
cell in your body (except for germ cells) contains the complete set of your DNA.
Meanwhile, the principle job of DNA in the cell is the long-haul stockpiling of data
that a living being needs to develop, function, and reproduce.
2. Does DNA have the same structure in different organisms, in this case, in
banana and tomato fruits? Why or why not?

- In this experiment, our group observed that the DNA of the banana and the tomato
have the same structures, which were to be expected because of the two
organisms having to be consisted of plant cells. All DNA is composed of
the same nitrogen-based molecules, although each organism's DNA is unique and
the difference from organism to organism is simply the order in which smaller
molecules are arranged.

3. Many of the plants today have been genetically modified by placing a portion of a
gene from one organism to another organism. Would you eat food produced in this
manner? Why?

- In this period of human history, Genetically Modified Organisms are still

controversial. For now, eating these types of foods would not be our choice
because of its high value in the market and its effects on our local producers. The
reason behind its value is its unnatural way of production; in laboratories. The fact
that GMOs are owned and patented by large companies won’t help our local
farmers and producers because they will have this new competitor in the market.
We also consider that naturally produced foods and products are more easily
available in the market compared to GMOs.

4. What is the purpose of the following reagents?

 Soap Solution
- The purpose of the soap in the mixtures is to break apart lipids in the cells
of the respective mixtures. Arguably the most important function
lipids perform is as the building blocks of cellular membranes. The soap
solution will break the lipids and with the salt, it would release DNA and
other organelles of the cell.

 Cold Ethyl Alcohol

- It helps to keep the proteins dissolved in the aqueous layer, so they don't
precipitate and vanish in the alcohol together with the DNA. Ethanol or
isopropyl alcohol causes the DNA to precipitate. When DNA comes out of
solution it tends to clump together, which makes it visible. Alcohol interacts
with water by hydrogen bonding and makes the positive charge of water
busy doing this. Collectively, the DNA is pulled out from the bottom of the
tube as a White cottony thread like precipitate.