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The Arizona Hedgehog
Cactus:
Endangered Species or not?
Lesson 3: DNA Isolation
from Plant Tissue
Purpose:
This lesson is designed to give students experience
in performing a basic biochemical extraction, and to have the GEE WHIZ!
experience of actually seeing DNA.
Time:
One 90-minute class period or two 50-60 minute
periods
Materials
Preparation:
- Plant tissue such as pea or Desert Spoon
- Coffee grinders
- Dry ice
- 50-mL conical polypropylene or glass tubes
- Centrifuge
- Hot water bath at 60°C
- CTAB buffer (available from research lab - store
at room temperature)
- Chloroform : isoamyl alcohol (24:1)
- Fume hood (or well-ventilated area)
- Pipettes
- Ice-cold isopropanol
Student Objective(s):
- List and describe the steps taken to isolate DNA
from plant tissue, explaining the chemical and physical properties
used.
Lesson Plan:
- Briefly describe each step of the DNA isolation
procedure with the class prior to beginning the activity. Emphasize
the safety issues and potential trouble areas as written in the
"DNA Isolation from Plant Tissue" hand-out. (10-15 minutes)
- Supervise the students as they work in groups of
2 to perform the procedure. The students should be able to move
through the entire procedure in 60 minutes.
- Hand out and explain the assignment, "Isolation
and Purification of DNA from Plant Tissue."
Supporting Materials:
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