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Strawberries yield more DNA than any other fruit because they have eight copies of each type of chromosome. The long, thick fibers of DNA store the information for the functioning of the chemistry of life. The DNA found in strawberry cells can be extracted using common, everyday materials.
What are two reasons why strawberries are good samples to use when extracting DNA can any other types of cells be used to extract DNA?
While other fruits are soft and just as easy to pulverize, strawberries are the perfect choice for a DNA extraction lab for two very good reasons: (1) they yield way more DNA than other fruits, and (2) they are octoploid, meaning that they have eight copies of each type of DNA chromosome.
Why do we use fruit for DNA extraction?
These fruits were chosen because they are triploid (bananas) and octoploid (strawberries). This means that they have a lot of DNA inside of their cells, which means that there is a lot for us to extract. The purpose of the mashing was to break down the cell walls.
Why is it easier to extract DNA from strawberries than humans?
Each little piece of a living thing, known as a cell, has DNA in it. In humans each of these cells have 2 copies of the DNA, but in strawberries each of these have 8 copies of the DNA (scientists call this octoploid). That means strawberries have 4 times as many copies of DNA as humans, making it 4 times easier to see!.
Why do strawberries have 8 sets of chromosomes?
Because the genetics of strawberries are so diverse (humans are diploid, strawberries are octoploid). They are octoploid, which means they have eight of each type of chromosome (which equals abundant DNA).
How does the strawberry DNA experiment work?
When you added the salt and detergent mixture to the smashed strawberries, the detergent helped lyse (pop open) the strawberry cells, releasing the DNA into solution, whereas the salt helped create an environment where the different DNA strands could gather and clump, making it easier for you to see them.
What fruit is best for DNA extraction?
Foods like strawberries, bananas, kiwis, raspberries, and onions work particularly well in this lab. DNA can be isolated and extracted from other foods such as meats, other produce, and even processed foods such as corn chips and crackers.
How do you extract DNA from a strawberry?
Put the strawberries into the plastic bag, seal it and gently smash it for about two minutes. Completely crush the strawberries. This starts to break open the cells and release the DNA.
How much DNA do humans share with strawberries?
You may be surprised to learn that 60 percent of the DNA present in strawberries is also present in humans.
What did strawberries evolve from?
The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, in the 1750s via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America and Fragaria chiloensis, which was brought from Chile by Amédée-François Frézier in 1714.
Why are strawberries polyploid?
The genetics of most things are relatively complex, but the genetics of strawberry plants throw an additional twist into the mix. Polyploidy, a condition more common in plants, occurs when multiple pairs of chromosomes are present in the genetic component of an organism.
What gene was added to strawberries?
vesca dominates in gene number and gene expression. The F. vesca genome was the most recent to be added to the octoploid strawberry, however, its dominant expression is likely not due to its recent incorporation.
Can you eat strawberry DNA?
You can extract DNA from fresh strawberries. I wouldn’t eat the DNA alone though. When wet it is slimy and when dry it looks like cotton wool. But when mixed with the other components of strawberries it is undetectable and harmless, and strawberries taste great as they are.
Is DNA extracted from a strawberry pure?
This white stringy stuff is actually strawberry DNA – the molecule that stores the information of life in all cells. This DNA won’t be particularly pure, as it will have a lot of cell proteins attached to it. If you want, you can squirt some ‘protein removal’ contact lens solution into the DNA extraction solution.
What has more DNA strawberries or bananas?
Strawberries have large genomes; they are octoploid, which means they have eight of each type of chromosome in each cell. Thus, strawberries are an exceptional fruit to use in DNA extraction labs and strawberries yield more DNA than any other fruit (i.e. banana, kiwi, etc.).
What is the easiest fruit to extract DNA from?
Bananas, kiwis and strawberries all work well. (Remove the skin of the bananas and kiwi, we just want the insides!) Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix the washing up liquid, salt and tap water.
Is human DNA extraction the same as strawberry DNA extraction?
In order to study our genes, scientists must extract the DNA from human tissue. Would you expect the method of DNA extraction we used for the strawberry to be the same for human DNA? Yes, in a multicellular organism (such as a human or a strawberry), all cells contain the same DNA.
What does DNA look like in a strawberry?
The DNA will look like a white, cloudy or fine stringy substance.
Does human DNA look the same as strawberry DNA?
Yes, the DNA from both cell types will look just the same. The structure of DNA is consistent among all living things. It is a double helix shaped molecule (comprised of a sugar-phosphate backbone and paired nitrogenous bases) that condenses into chromosomes for packaging into cells.
Why is a strawberry not a fruit?
Botanists call the strawberry a “false fruit,” a pseudocarp. A strawberry is actually a multiple fruit which consists of many tiny individual fruits embedded in a fleshy receptacle. The plants form their fruit buds in the fall, so adequate moisture at that time is vital.
Why is a strawberry not a berry?
Strawberries and raspberries aren’t really berries in the botanical sense. They are derived from a single flower with more than one ovary, making them an aggregate fruit. True berries are simple fruits stemming from one flower with one ovary and typically have several seeds.
