PBL project

My PBL Experiment

PROBLEM STATEMENT / QUESTION :

What are practical applications of our knowledge of DNA and organisms?

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE :

The scientific definition of biotechnology is: To harnesses cellular and bio molecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. We have used the biological processes of microorganisms for more than 6,000 years to make useful food products, such as bread and cheese, and to preserve dairy products. But to me biotechnology is the study and recording of DNA( the structure of all life) and biological processes. We use the knowledge that we learn from biotechnology to create: antibiotics, hormones, transgenic plants (agricultural), and much more. All of these things influence our lives and our futures. Basically it is the use of the world around us to create methods and advancements in science. Biotechnology is the way we as humans find knowledge and apply it in a way that helps our everyday lives.

MATERIALS :

• 1 Banana or your choice of fruit

• Distilled water

• Disposable cups

• Coffee filters (6)

• Shampoo that contains EDTA

• Salt

• 70% 0r 50% chilled alcohol

• Test tube / Beakers

• Spoon

• Pipets (2)

PROCEDURES :

1. Create a banana mixture by blending together a peeled banana, and 1 - 2 cups of water. Until the consistency is smooth.

2. Add 20 ml of distilled water to a plastic cup.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of shampoo and a couple of pinches of salt to the water.

4. Mix slowly with a spoon, careful not to create a foam.

5. Add a heaping teaspoon of banana mixture to water and stir slowly for 5 - 10 minutes.

6. Place three coffee filters on top of each empty cup. Fold the sides of the coffee filters, so that it is not touching the cup. After stirring the banana mixture for 5 - 10 mins, pour it on top of the coffee filters.

7. Allow the mixture to filter for 15 - 20 minutes. Once the mixture has filtered through the coffee filter, throw the filter away.

8. Add two pipet full of the chilled alcohol to the filtered substance. Stir the alcohol in the substance and let it sit for 5 minutes.

8. You will begin to see white precipitation forming. Using the pipet, suck up the clusters into the pipet, so that you can see it better.

SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLE :

The scientific question that my PBL project is based on How biotechnology is used in day to day life? It connects to science because the process of biotechnology is to study all bio molecular process occurring in our world, that information is then used to improve our lives.

SAFETY REGULATIONS :

Wear safety goggles and don't eat any part of the lab.

Investigation Questions

1. What are some characteristics of a plant cell ?

• • One of characteristic is the shape of cell. because plant cells have a cell wall and a cell membrane. they also have chloroplasts, which allows them to do photosynthesis.

2. Where is DNA located in cells ?

• • DNA is located in the nucleus.

3. What barriers must be broken down in order to get to DNA ?

• • Cell wall, plasma membrane, nuclear membrane.

4. What cell barriers are being broken down by the shampoo in the cup ?

• • The cell wall and the membrane are being broken down by the shampoo.

5. In addition to nucleic acids what other types of biomolecules are found in cells ?

• • Carbohydrates , Fat , and Proteins.

6. What are histones and why do they need to be broken down to get to DNA ?

• • Histones are highly alkaline proteins found in eukaryotic cell nuclei that package and order the DNA into structural units. Histones are wrapped around DNA, so we must make the positive charge of histones negative to decrease the amount of bonding.

7. After filtering where will DNA be and why?

• • The DNA will be in the filtrate, because the shampoo has broken down the walls. Once you filter the banana substance you are left with the DNA without the cell wall and plasma membrane, but you still have to break through the nucleic membrane.

8. Why do cells have DNA ?

• • So that cells can store important information about the functions and processes it has to do.

9. Why would scientist extract DNA ?

• • So that we can better understand cells, also so that scientist can use that info to create products that we need. Like vaccines for diseases that affect our genetic makeup or genetic disorders.

10. Do animal cells have the same barrier to break down to get to DNA ? Do bacteria cells have these barriers?

• • Animal cells don't have a cell wall to break down in order to get to DNA. Bacteria cells have a different kind of barrier, kind of like a capsule.

11.. What Components of DNA are unique to the molecule to help distinguish it from other biomolecules?

• • The shape of DNA is one characteristic. DNA has a double helix form, which looks like a spiral. Unlike most biomolecules that have a pentagon shape. The makeup of DNA is also special.

12. What is electrophoresis? what materials do you use to make electrophoresis and how do you perform it? how do you use it DNA fingerprinting ?

• • Electrophoresis is a technique used in laboratories to separate charged molecules. Some of the materials needed are :Electrophoresis chamber, gel form and comb, Electrophoresis power supply, Agar gel, Salt solution, Scientific stains to use as samples, Sample-loading device, Masking tape, if needed to seal gel form. Electrophoresis is used in DNA fingerprinting by first separating the DNA into fragments and organizing them. After they are fragmented we can then replicate them.

Procedures (Pictures)

1. The first picture is the banana mixture that I made in a blender, which is made of a banana and water blended together until smooth. One banana gave me a little over a full cup of mixture.

2. The second picture is of the shampoo mixture, which has shampoo containing EDTA, water, and salt in a cup. I mixed all of the ingredients together, which is why there is foam on top. I continued to mix until the salt and the shampoo were no longer visible in the cup.

3. After adding the banana mixture to the shampoo mixture. I mixed them together for 2 minutes slowly.

4. I put the coffee filters on top of the cup and let it drain for around 15 minutes undisturbed.

5. Pictures 5 is the filtered banana substance. It took 15 minutes for most of it to filter through the coffee filter.

6. Picture 7 is the banana's DNA or the filtered substance after adding chilled alcohol and gently stirring it. Then you wait about 5 minutes. You can see little white clusters beginning to form.