How to isolate dna from an onion

Isolate DNA From an Onion

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Get ready to weigh out the sand and onion with a medium or large weighing boat.

Get ready to weigh out the sand and onion with a medium or large weighing boat.

Slice up about 20 grams of yellow onion.

Slice up about 20 grams of yellow onion.

And about 20 grams of  acid-washed sand.

And about 20 grams of acid-washed sand.

Add chopped onions and sand to a mortar and pestle that has been kept on ice.

Add chopped onions and sand to a mortar and pestle that has been kept on ice.

Grind up the onion and sand vigorously to break up the cells of the onion. It should be a mushy paste.

Grind up the onion and sand vigorously to break up the cells of the onion. It should be a mushy paste.

Weigh out 10 grams of NaCl.

Weigh out 10 grams of NaCl.

And 10 ml of simple liquid dishwashing liquid.

And 10 ml of simple liquid dishwashing liquid.

Dissolve the salt and detergent in 100 mL of water. Use a hot plate to warm it up. Add 30 mL of the solution to a beaker with your onion mush. Stir for 5 minutes at 60C.

Dissolve the salt and detergent in 100 mL of water. Use a hot plate to warm it up. Add 30 mL of the solution to a beaker with your onion mush. Stir for 5 minutes at 60C.

Use cheesecloth to strain out the solids from the liquid.

Use cheesecloth to strain out the solids from the liquid.

Slowly pour absolute ethanol down the side of the beaker so it forms a layer on top of your cell extract solution. DNA will precipitate at the interface.

Slowly pour absolute ethanol down the side of the beaker so it forms a layer on top of your cell extract solution. DNA will precipitate at the interface.

Use a glass stir rod to spool out the DNA from solution.  Turn the rod at the interface, but don't stir and mix the aqueous and alcoholic parts.

Use a glass stir rod to spool out the DNA from solution. Turn the rod at the interface, but don't stir and mix the aqueous and alcoholic parts.

Transfer the DNA to a test tube containing 95% ethanol.

  • 1.0 Mortar and pestle
  • 1.0 Yellow onion
  • Sand
  • Ivory (or similar) liquid dish washing detergent
  • NaCl
  • Absolute ethanol
  • Citrate buffer
  • 2.0ml Glucose solution
  • 2.0ml Ribose solution
  • 2.0ml Deoxyribose solution
  • 10.0yd Diphenylamine reagent
  • 95% ethanol
  • 1.0 Cheese cloth
  • 4.0 Test tubes