Extracting DNA

When did you first learn how to extract DNA? If you’ve never learned, would you like to?

The first time I extracted DNA from whole blood was at the ripe old age of 24 in my third year of grad school. It was a fascinating process of adding various solutions, pouring them out, vortexing, centrifuging, and eventually seeing the DNA precipitate into a pellet.

Kids are learning how to extract DNA in junior high school now, although not with whole blood, of course, which is a biohazardous material. At MacIntyre Park Middle School in Georgia, seventh graders are learning to extract DNA from peanuts with the guidance of professors at the University of Georgia.

Even at the students’ level it’s a tedious process. Salt and soap buffer and clean the specimen. Then alcohol brings the DNA into place. “That coldness shocks it and makes the DNA rise to the highest level,” says Virginia Wood.

From there, the identification and transfer process begins. Confusing? That’s why students like David Ross are learning it so early. “It will give me a push so I know what I’m doing,” he says.

You can learn how to extract DNA at home following directions from the Genetic Science Learning Center at The University of Utah.

Thanks to reader Brad for the DNA extraction link.