DNA Extraction Lab

In this lab, we wanted to see whether we could extract DNA from our cheek. We found that we could could do this in a 3 step process: homogenization, lysis, and precipitation. This was proven by our experiment where we saw the DNA that we collected between the gatorade and alcohol. This meant that the procedure we followed was correct and we had arrived at the correct result. This also makes sense because the procedure fore DNA extraction involves homogenization, lysis, and precipitation and we used this guide to find the correct procedure. These processes breakdown the cell and separate DNA from the rest of the cell. We grouped the steps into one of the three categories and rearranged those steps into what seemed intuitively correct based on the definition of the step.
There were many possible errors that could have affected the results of this experiment. One possible error is that we mixed up certain steps because we weren't given the actual order of steps for the experiment. Another possible error is that we might have gotten food or other materials inside the gatorade while rinsing. Finally, the end result might not have been DNA and it could have been another substance because we never tested to see what it was. All these errors could cause this experiment to be invalid because what we observed might not be DNA. There are many things we can do to prevent the errors we encountered in this experiment. One thing we can do to prevent food getting into out sample is rinsing our mouth before the experiment. Another thing we can do is get more information about DNA extraction before doing the lab because we had a very faint idea of what we were doing, and some of it was just guessing where the steps were instead of understanding why each step is in its order. Another thing we can do is test the DNA we have to see whether it is actually DNA.
The purpose of this lab is to test whether we can extract DNA from our cheek. This lab helped us better understand the process of DNA extraction. We specifically learned of the processes such as homogenization, lysis, and precipitation, which are used to breakdown a cell and histones and to separate DNA from the rest of the substance. This experiment taught us stuff that has a lot of practical applications. This process can be used in crime labs to check the DNA of a criminal. It could also be used by Doctors who want to sequence someone's DNA. Biologists can use this on animals to check their DNA for research purposes. This also taught us about how to figure out how to go about accomplishing an experiment, and how to manage our time in a project that has a limited time frame.