Surprisingly, the entire diversity of the kingdom of wildlife is due to the unique sequences of four nitrogenous bases. In the nucleus of every cell of any living organism contains a nucleic acid - DNA. In this spiral molecule, all the necessary information is encoded to support life. Currently, scientists have decoded the genomes of many organisms, including humans. This is a rather complicated high-tech process.
But to get deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is not difficult at home. This is what we will do in this article.
Will need
So, for the experiment we need:
- Drinking or distilled water;
- Salt;
- Liquid soap;
- Alcohol. We need chilled, so we put it in the refrigerator.
From the dishes you need:
- Disposable cup;
- A spoon;
- Test tube (sold at the pharmacy);
- Pipette.
Important! The tube must have a cap. A rubber piston from twenty cube syringes is suitable for these purposes. You can remove it from the plastic part with a screwdriver.
He fits tightly on the neck of the tube and closes it tightly.
DNA experiment
First, prepare a saline solution: add a spoonful of salt to a glass of water.
Now with this solution it is necessary to rinse the mouth, leading the tongue along the cheeks and gums. The mouth should be clean, not after dinner.
Thus, we collect cells with genetic material from the oral cavity into the solution. Thanks to salt, they accumulate together.
Pour the solution back into the glass.
Now pour a little solution into the test tube.
And add a few drops of liquid soap. It destroys the cell membrane, releasing DNA from the nuclei of cells.
Then, by tilting the tube about 45 degrees, pour twenty drops of chilled alcohol, so that it does not mix with the solution. Close the tube and gently turn it upside down 3-4 times.
We leave the tube in an upright position, and after a few minutes milky-white filaments begin to form:
These threads are your DNA. As such, it can be stored in the refrigerator for quite some time.
Conclusion
And on this the article comes to an end. Good luck to everyone!
