DNA extraction methods from living organisms

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An to extract DNA from a piece of common paper formed the basis of this experiment. Though wood pulp is, of course, ultimately an organic material, it was hypothesized that the treatment of turning the pulp into paper would destroy any DNA. This hypothesis was proven incorrect.

There are a great many uses for DNA testing in this country, with the most well-known application due to high-profile lawsuits and certain television shows being paternity tests (Fuller 2010). Establishing a variety of different familial relationships is actually possible using DNA testing, and certain types of DNA can trace lineages back thousands of years (Fuller 2010). There is also the potential for DNA testing to provide information as to medical issues and the potential risks individuals face, as well as other information concerning congenital features and diseases (Fuller 2010).

DNA can also serve to help identify a wide range of other organic materials and the specific species or even organisms of which they are a part, and this can be utilized by law enforcement personnel and forensic scientists in a variety of ways (HGP 2010). Even identifying the very existence of DNA in a given sample can provide clues as to an unfamiliar substance's origin and nature, and all of these uses for DNA require first that DNA can be extracted from a sample. This experiment will attempt to extract DNA from a sample of material that was at one point organic, but that has been highly changed in form.

Materials and Methods:

A kitchen blender, some cotton swabs, and a set of six test tubes formed the hardware necessary to conduct this experiment. Approximately a quarter-sheet of standard lined notebook paper was used as the experimental sample substance. Other necessary supplies included approximately a half-teaspoon of salt, 200 mL of cold water, 30 mL of standard dish soap (in liquid form), several pinches of store-bought meat tenderizer (perhaps a tablespoon was used in all), and less than 500 mL of isopropyl alcohol.

After gathering the supplies together, the salt, water, and paper (torn into smaller strips) were mixed in a blender until the consistency of the liquid was entirely homogenous. Once this consistency was reached, the liquid was poured into a beaker through a strainer in order to remove any solids remaining, and the liquid soap was then mixed in. This mixture then sat to rest for several minutes before being divided amongst the test tubes, and a pinch of the meat tenderizing powder was added to the liquid in each tube and carefully stirred using a cotton stick. A small amount of isopropyl alcohol was then poured into each test tube, and the test tubes were examined for the white string substance at the border of the alcohol and the water mixture that is DNA.

Results:

Despite expectations, the DNA substance did form in each of the test tubes, suggesting that ample organic material had been left intact during the making of the paper. This confirms that all organic material has DNA and that this DNA can be extracted long after much trauma to the material.