To isolate DNA from plant materials (spinach, green peas, papaya)

To isolate DNA from plant materials

Aim: To isolate DNA from plant materials such as spinach, green peas, papaya and any other available plant material.

Requirements:

• Any available plant materials such as spinach, papaya, peas, etc.
• Mortar and pestle
• Test tubes
• Beakers
• Ethanol
• Spool
• Enzymes (Cellulase, ribonuclease, lipases, protease)

Procedure

1. Take the available plant material and grind it in the mortar.
2. Treat the material with cellulase to break down the cell wall of the plant cells.
3. Next, treat it with protease to hydrolyze the peptide bonds of proteins in the plant material. In other words, the enzyme removes the histone proteins which are intertwined with the DNA.
4. Dissolve RNA with ribonuclease
5. Use lipase to dissolve lipids.
6. Add chilled ethanol to enable the precipitation of the DNA. It essentially increases DNA concentration.
7. Use spooling to extract the precipitated DNA. Spooling involves winding the fine threads of DNA on to a reel.

Observation

The DNA appears as white precipitates of fine thread on the spool.