in the simple bio-lab experiment that extracts DNA from fruit, what is the best type of alcohol to use?

Question

in the simple bio-lab experiment that extracts DNA from fruit, what is the best type of alcohol to use?

isprop? poly vynal?

the experiment is a private interest, not one of mere classroom demonstration, and i intend to have further applications for use with the isolated AND extracted DNA.

Answer 1

Second answer is right, pretty much any alcohol will work. I've gotten rubbing alcohol from Walmart, it works fine too. Even vodka will work. Makes a good demo, but hard to explain why you have it at work....

First poster is right that the colder the better too.

Answer 2

Protocols I've always used in the lab for the preperation of chromosomal DNA have called for the use of isopropyl alcohol. To be honest, I don't think that it really matters. If you use ethanol or isopropyl, you'll still get the DNA out. And assuming that there aren't any downstream applications (sequencing or cloning some genes or whatever) the yield isn't an issue as long as you get enough for the students to see that it works, right?

Answer 3

Use ice-cold ethyl alcohol (ethanol). You can order lab-grade ethanol for your classroom from any of the science supply companies.

I put little bottles of ethanol in the freezer before this lab activity.

Also - If you use commercially grown strawberries (frozen ones are fine) you will get a ton of DNA because they're usually octoploid.

Answer 4

whilst i grow to be a TA (coaching assistant) for this bio-lab class, we used onion ... i comprehend it extremely is not precisely fruit even though it yields a lot DNA. we can pull the DNA strand utilising glass rod!!