| DNA may be small and it may seem complicated | | | | am about to introduce to you but many of the |
| but the mystery behind deoxyribonucleic acid | | | | principles are still the same. |
| is unfolding quickly (even as you read this | | | | |
| article most likely). An increased | | | | Some online content2 sponsored by the |
| understanding of DNA also continues to | | | | University of Utah shows you how you can |
| generate ideas for real-life applications, | | | | extract the DNA from dried peas. The great |
| many of which are fascinating forms of DNA | | | | thing is that you can try this from home. |
| testing. | | | | You can take a look at the content for more |
| | | | info but I will show you a quick paraphrased |
| How can something so small and composed of | | | | process that can be followed as well: |
| seemingly obscure as deoxyribonucleic acid | | | | |
| play a part in our lives? One answer is the | | | | 1) Open the Cell |
| paternity test. | | | | |
| | | | The online content says you can do this with |
| The Paternity Test: One Application for DNA | | | | some water and a blender! |
| | | | |
| A paternity test is accomplished by taking a | | | | Simply buy a bag of dried peas and blend them |
| sampling of a child's DNA and a parent's DNA | | | | with water. |
| to exclude or include the possibility of | | | | |
| parentage. Testing the DNA of a confirmed | | | | 2) Open the Cell's Nucleus |
| parent and a potential parent can help lab | | | | |
| scientists determine paternity more quickly | | | | The online content suggests that you use |
| but the DNA of two parents is not required. | | | | detergent (of the liquid variety) |
| Lab scientists can often prove paternity by | | | | |
| exclusion (100% accuracy) or by inclusion | | | | Open the cell's nucleus. Simply mix the |
| (99.9% accuracy). | | | | detergent with the pea mixture. |
| | | | |
| A paternity test may seem complicated but now | | | | 3) Separate the DNA from its Protective and |
| that it's down to a science it's not quite | | | | Architectural Proteins |
| the mystery that it seems to have been in the | | | | |
| past. I found a brief online explanation1 | | | | The online content suggests that you use a |
| which led me to additional questions, | | | | tenderizer of meats or thejuice from a |
| additional answers and the rest of this | | | | pineapple to separate the proteins from the |
| article! | | | | DNA sample. |
| | | | |
| 1) The Sampling | | | | 4) Separate the Floating Fats and Proteins |
| | | | from the Floating DNA |
| First of all, there must be a sampling of DNA | | | | |
| taken from a living specimen like you or me. | | | | The online content suggests doing this by |
| However you can't just reach in and grab a | | | | adding alcohol to the pea liquid |
| chunk of DNA like you would dig into a | | | | |
| cracker barrel. Nope-it's a bit more | | | | Do not mix; the alcohol should create a top |
| complicated. The first step of DNA | | | | layer of liquid over the pealiquid. |
| extraction is to take a sample of blood or | | | | |
| saliva. (You can easily get a sample of | | | | 5) Take a Look at Your DNA sample |
| saliva by swabbing the inside of your cheek). | | | | |
| This "swab sample" will provide a lab | | | | Since the DNA will choose "to dwell" in the |
| professional with a DNA sample that is still | | | | alcohol and the fats andproteins will stay in |
| mixed with other molecules and chemical | | | | the water, the DNA should finally be visible |
| make-ups that you wouldn't need for the | | | | at thispoint. |
| paternity test. So, you have to separate the | | | | |
| DNA from those other substances. It's like | | | | Of course, with human cells, the process |
| separating the crackers from several other | | | | might not be so simple, but I think the |
| samples that are in the same barrel. | | | | example mentioned above provides a good |
| | | | visualization of a process that is probably |
| 2) The Extraction | | | | very similar. |
| | | | |
| Okay. So how do the lab scientists extract | | | | To learn more about the next steps in |
| DNA from the rest of the substances floating | | | | analyzing DNA and to learn more about how DNA |
| around? This is where the fun begins and you | | | | might be used in a paternity test, please |
| don't even have to be a lab professional to | | | | read part II of "DNA Applications and the |
| try your own extraction process. Keep in | | | | Paternity Test." (To locate the article |
| mind however that the paternity test | | | | simply "Google" the article title along with |
| extraction processes may be somewhat | | | | my (the author's) name). |
| different than the process experiment that I | | | | |