Forensics and DNA testing
(Also seen under Science Page)
Forensics and DNA testing
(Also seen under Science Page)
There was a murder, but no one knows who it was. The suspects are Capulet, Lady Capulet, Paris, Benvolio, Friar Lawrence and others at the scene of the murder. It was the murder of Romeo and Juliet.
To learn which one of the suspects did it, the students at N.E.W. school will have to learn how to use gel electrolysis to separate the macro molecules in DNA so that the matching DNA can be found.
The first step in this process was creating the chamber to hold the DNA in. For this project, the chamber was a plastic box. Two wires were measured out, and in the next step, they will each be electrically charged, one positive and one negative. Since DNA macro molecules are negatively charged, they will be attracted to the positive charge.
Then the students had to cut out rivets in a piece of cardboard for each DNA sample to go in. After that, the chamber is filled with agarose for the DNA to go in. Each sample would be compared to the one of the murderer and depending on the mass, they will go farther down the agarose. The one that is right at the same spot as the murderer probably belongs to the murderer.
There was a murder, but no one knows who it was. The suspects are Capulet, Lady Capulet, Paris, Benvolio, Friar Lawrence and others at the scene of the murder. It was the murder of Romeo and Juliet.
To extract the DNA, first, the suspects had to chew the side of the mouth. Then they had to grab a cup from a cell, remembering where they got it from. Then they had to swish the salt water in their mouth for 30 seconds then spit it back in their cup. Each of the suspects got a number. Then they repeated the process so there could be two samples.
The suspects were chewing at the epithelial tissue, taking off cells and spitting them out. Inside the cells are nuclei, the brains of the cell. Inside the round organelle is a DNA strand of molecules in the shape of a double-helix. To get to the DNA, the cell membrane and nucleus need to be broken with a chemical breakdown. The students at NEW have to do this, dying it so it can be seen under a microscope. The enzyme protease (ends in -ase, like most all enzymes) is what is usually used to break open the nucleus and membrane. Since protease isn't easily available, the students will be using laundry detergent mixed with water.
The groups each had to make a set amount of mild detergent, a 5 mL to 15 mL ratio. Then they extracted DNA from the cups, and the more people they wanted to test, the more detergent and DNA they would need. To extract the DNA, they used a pipette, and took out 5 mL to put into a test tube, then added 5 mL of detergent. After a few minutes of swishing the solution, 5 mL of ethanol are added to the top.
Restrictive enzymes cut the DNA into smaller slices, and in different parts depending on the DNA. Some will be shorter and others are longer so they will traverse the gel faster or slower. Our class will have to use whole DNA.
Next, they had to take out the DNA from each test tube and move it to a micro tube. They could start to see clumps forming in the clear ethanol. Then they added .25 mL of blue methylene and one drop of glycerin.
Then a buffer solution was made with water and 1% baking soda. This went over the gel electrolysis chamber.
The comb was taken out and the electric wires were added in. Now the gel chamber and DNA are ready. The methylene is used to die the DNA and the glycerin weighs it down.
To finish off the DNA Lab, we had to put the DNA into the gel electrolysis chambers. To do this we first had to take out the comb from the gel, however, there was a problem with the gel. It stuck to the comb, so the whole block of gel was taken out of the plastic box. The groups then had to improvise and cut slits with a knife, then inject 200 microliters of DNA with a micro pipet into the slit. After that, the students then put alligator clips on the stainless steel wires, the negative side on the side of the DNA and the positive clip on the opposite side. Then they were connected to the electric box. Everyone moved away from the boxes to make sure not to get electrocuted.
There was a significant problem. During lunch, the power went out so the results won't be what they want them to be, but we still learned a lot from this experience.
To extract the DNA, first, the suspects had to chew the side of the mouth. Then they had to grab a cup from a cell, remembering where they got it from. Then they had to swish the salt water in their mouth for 30 seconds then spit it back in their cup. Each of the suspects got a number. Then they repeated the process so there could be two samples.
The suspects were chewing at the epithelial tissue, taking off cells and spitting them out. Inside the cells are nuclei, the brains of the cell. Inside the round organelle is a DNA strand of molecules in the shape of a double-helix. To get to the DNA, the cell membrane and nucleus need to be broken with a chemical breakdown. The students at NEW have to do this, dying it so it can be seen under a microscope. The enzyme protease (ends in -ase, like most all enzymes) is what is usually used to break open the nucleus and membrane. Since protease isn't easily available, the students will be using laundry detergent mixed with water.
The groups each had to make a set amount of mild detergent, a 5 mL to 15 mL ratio. Then they extracted DNA from the cups, and the more people they wanted to test, the more detergent and DNA they would need. To extract the DNA, they used a pipette, and took out 5 mL to put into a test tube, then added 5 mL of detergent. After a few minutes of swishing the solution, 5 mL of ethanol are added to the top.
Restrictive enzymes cut the DNA into smaller slices, and in different parts depending on the DNA. Some will be shorter and others are longer so they will traverse the gel faster or slower. Our class will have to use whole DNA.
Next, they had to take out the DNA from each test tube and move it to a micro tube. They could start to see clumps forming in the clear ethanol. Then they added .25 mL of blue methylene and one drop of glycerin.
Then a buffer solution was made with water and 1% baking soda. This went over the gel electrolysis chamber.
The comb was taken out and the electric wires were added in. Now the gel chamber and DNA are ready. The methylene is used to die the DNA and the glycerin weighs it down.
To finish off the DNA Lab, we had to put the DNA into the gel electrolysis chambers. To do this we first had to take out the comb from the gel, however, there was a problem with the gel. It stuck to the comb, so the whole block of gel was taken out of the plastic box. The groups then had to improvise and cut slits with a knife, then inject 200 microliters of DNA with a micro pipet into the slit. After that, the students then put alligator clips on the stainless steel wires, the negative side on the side of the DNA and the positive clip on the opposite side. Then they were connected to the electric box. Everyone moved away from the boxes to make sure not to get electrocuted.
There was a significant problem. During lunch, the power went out so the results won't be what they want them to be, but we still learned a lot from this experience.
The suspects were chewing at the epithelial tissue, taking off cells and spitting them out. Inside the cells are nuclei, the brains of the cell. Inside the round organelle is a DNA strand of molecules in the shape of a double-helix. To get to the DNA, the cell membrane and nucleus need to be broken with a chemical breakdown. The students at NEW have to do this, dying it so it can be seen under a microscope. The enzyme protease (ends in -ase, like most all enzymes) is what is usually used to break open the nucleus and membrane. Since protease isn't easily available, the students will be using laundry detergent mixed with water.
The groups each had to make a set amount of mild detergent, a 5 mL to 15 mL ratio. Then they extracted DNA from the cups, and the more people they wanted to test, the more detergent and DNA they would need. To extract the DNA, they used a pipette, and took out 5 mL to put into a test tube, then added 5 mL of detergent. After a few minutes of swishing the solution, 5 mL of ethanol are added to the top.
Restrictive enzymes cut the DNA into smaller slices, and in different parts depending on the DNA. Some will be shorter and others are longer so they will traverse the gel faster or slower. Our class will have to use whole DNA.
Next, they had to take out the DNA from each test tube and move it to a micro tube. They could start to see clumps forming in the clear ethanol. Then they added .25 mL of blue methylene and one drop of glycerin.
Then a buffer solution was made with water and 1% baking soda. This went over the gel electrolysis chamber.
The comb was taken out and the electric wires were added in. Now the gel chamber and DNA are ready. The methylene is used to die the DNA and the glycerin weighs it down.
To finish off the DNA Lab, we had to put the DNA into the gel electrolysis chambers. To do this we first had to take out the comb from the gel, however, there was a problem with the gel. It stuck to the comb, so the whole block of gel was taken out of the plastic box. The groups then had to improvise and cut slits with a knife, then inject 200 microliters of DNA with a micro pipet into the slit. After that, the students then put alligator clips on the stainless steel wires, the negative side on the side of the DNA and the positive clip on the opposite side. Then they were connected to the electric box. Everyone moved away from the boxes to make sure not to get electrocuted.
There was a significant problem. During lunch, the power went out so the results won't be what they want them to be, but we still learned a lot from this experience.
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