Onion DNA

Oh yes, you read right.
Many know that I homeschool which often leads to some interesting science experiments.
Today’s was onion DNA Extraction:

If you like to try this at home you will need:
fresh onions
graduated cylinders (10ml and 100ml)
knife
15-ml test tube
blender
test tube rack or 250 ml beaker
strainer
glass stirring rod coffee filters
non-iodized salt
Adolph’s natural meat tenderizer
Palmolive detergent
beaker
distilled water
ice cold 95% ethanol

Detergent/salt solution:
20 ml detergent
20 g non-iodized salt
180 ml distilled water

5% meat tenderizer solution:
5 g meat tenderizer
95 ml distilled water

The detergent (clear is best) will dissolve the lipids. The meat tenderizers is what cleans the proteins to reveal the DNA

Here is what you do:
Protocol
Cut an inch square out of the center of 3 medium onions. Chop and place in a blender.
Add 100 ml of detergent/salt solution.
Blend on high 30 sec-1 minute.
Strain the mixture into a beaker using a strainer with a coffee filter.
Add 20-30 ml meat tenderizer and stir to mix.
Place 6 ml filtrate in a test tube.
Pour 6 ml ice cold ethanol carefully down the side of the tube to form a layer.
Let the mixture sit undisturbed 2-3 minutes until bubbling stops.
The DNA will float in the alcohol. Swirl a glass stirring rod at the interface of the two layers to see the small threads of DNA.

This was for Miquel’s Biology class, I don’t think he was as impressed as Laura. I do sometimes think she has the makings of a chemist, she had the strands playing with them for a long time.