how are the four barriers are broken in a kiwi DNA extraction activity?
I did a kiwi experiment and I was asked to answer this question. I know how the first two barriers are broken:
cutting the kiwi break the cell wall
using detergent break the cell membrane
nuclear membrane?
chromosomes?
I can’t figure out the rest of the four. can anyone help!
2 Responses
careerstudent22
07 Feb 2010
yellow.blob
07 Feb 2010
I’m not sure about chromosomes, sorry.
But ethanol should break down the nuclear membrane and free the DNA.
Make sure the ethanol is cold, though, or else the DNase will come and destroy the DNA. Not good if you’re trying to collect it 
I’ve done this before with peas. Okay, cutting the kiwi (or blending the peas) breaks the cell wall (carbs). The detergent, a "grease-fighter" breaks up the cell membrane and the nuclear envelope, which are both composed of lipids. Then, an enzyme like meat tenderizer can be used to dissolve the histone proteins that the DNA is wrapped around to form the chromosome. The alcohol provides a less dense medium for in which the DNA floats upward.