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A pinch of salt and two cups of cold water went into the blender alongside the kailan vegetables and some ‘Mama Lemon’ detergent. Some cooking recipe gone wrong? No, for this was the DNA Isolation workshop conducted by Dr Scott Wersinger of the University at Buffalo. The sole aim of the day? To break down cell structures to obtain the many strands of DNA within the nuclei.
The group first watched a video explanation on what DNA is. For the uninitiated, DNA is the molecule that carries our genetic instructions while coils of DNA are called genes. Considering half the workshop’s participants were not Psychology majors, the video proved to be extremely helpful. We then proceeded to the practical side, blending kailan vegetables with salt and water. Soap was added into the resultant blend to break the cell structure further and the mixture was slowly turned upside down in a container. Subsequently, we allowed the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.
Once the mixture had settled, rubbing alcohol was added in a bid to separate the strands of DNA from other material. Slowly but surely, two distinct layers appeared. At the bottom, a dark concentrated layer of cell material. On the top, a cloudy conglomerate made up of DNA. It astounded me that although a single strand of DNA is too small to be seen, we can isolate the DNA from many cells and they bundle together to be visible to the naked eye. A fundamental building block of life could finally be seen tangibly. Mission success? For this time, yes, but our group tried blending beef and chicken over the course of the workshop with varying degrees of success. All in all, the workshop was a fascinating experience and provided a practical approach to learning, something one would not acquire in the confines of a traditional lecture.
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