Name: ______Date:______Prd: ______

Fruit Genome Project

Examining and Displaying Cultural Diversity Using Fruit

Background: In the coming weeks, we will be discussing the Human Genome Project and all of the wonderful discoveries made during its 13 year span. The HGP began in 1990 and ended in 2003. It took 13 years and millions of dollars to sequence the human genome.

Applications of the HGP:

  • The human genome has 3 billion base pairs (nitrogenous bases)
  • A person can now have their genome (DNA) sequenced and see what diseases and mutations lie in their sequence
  • Gene therapy: because persons can now sequence their genome, they can fix defective genes.
  • Cultural Similarities: the HGP displayed that all persons (regardless of race) are 99.99% identical genetically. So….out of your 3 billion bases, over 2.5 billion are IDENTICAL TO EVERYONE

“Isn’t that ironic?...people make such a fuss over skin color, and these are the very same colors that can be found in a child’s crayon box” ~Unknown

Materials needed for this assignment:

Item / Purpose
Strawberries / For extracting DNA
Bananas / For extracting DNA
Ziploc bags & our fists / For lysing (destruction of the cell wall, cell membrane, and other organelles)
Extraction Buffer (dish detergent, water, and salt)this has already been made for you / To remove lipids and allow for the DNA to be removed from the nuclei
Coffee filter, rubber band / Part of filtration apparatus
Clear plastic cup or beaker / Part of filtration apparatus
Large centrifuge or test tubes / For collecting the DNA solution from the filtration apparatus.
Frozen ethanol (rubbing alcohol) / Physically pulls the DNA out of your solution
Popsicle sticks / To spool the DNA out

Instructions:

The same instructions apply for extracting DNA from any fruit (just make sure to remove any stems or sepals/leaves). If you are doing this at home and using harder fruits like apples, make sure to break them down in a blender first (an adult needs to be present)

Instructions for Strawberry / Instruction for Banana
  1. Remove the green sepal from the top of the strawberries (2-3)
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  1. Remove the yellow peel from the outside of the banana (if this has not already been done). You only need a section of banana

  1. Place the strawberry into the Ziploc bag. Close the bag and make sure there is no air in it.
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  1. Place the strawberry into the Ziploc bag. Close the bag and make sure there is no air in it.

  1. Gently pound the strawberry for 1-2 minutes until it is completely mashed
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  1. Gently pound the strawberry for 1-2 minutes until it is completely mashed

  1. Pour 10ml of DNA Extractionbuffer into the Ziploc bag. Gently smash again for 1-2 minutes (be careful not to break the bag)
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  1. Pour 10ml of DNA Extraction buffer into the Ziploc bag. Gently smash again for 1-2 minutes (be careful not to break the bag)

  1. Assemble the filtration apparatus:
Place the coffee filter over the beaker/clear plastic cup. Secure with the rubber band. Make sure it is not too tight, make sure it is slightly concave. /
  1. Assemble the filtration apparatus:
Place the coffee filter over the beaker/clear plastic cup. Secure with the rubber band. Make sure it is not too tight, make sure it is slightly concave.
  1. Slowly pour your DNA solution out of the Ziploc bag onto your filtration apparatus. Do not pour all of it at one time.
/
  1. Slowly pour your DNA solution out of the Ziploc bag onto your filtration apparatus. Do not pour all of it at one time.

  1. Once all of the solution has filtered through, CAREFULLY remove the rubber band and coffee filter.
/
  1. Once all of the solution has filtered through, CAREFULLY remove the rubber band and coffee filter.

  1. Pour the DNA solution into your test tube
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  1. Pour the DNA solution into your test tube

  1. Tilt the test tube (so it won’t mix)
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  1. Tilt the test tube (so it won’t mix)

  1. Gently pour the frozen ethanol on top of the DNA solution
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  1. Gently pour the frozen ethanol on top of the DNA solution

  1. Sit the tube upright for 1-2 minutes. You should see a clear film pull out. THIS IS THE DNA!!!!
Carefully spool (spin) the DNA out with a popsicle stick. /
  1. Sit the tube upright for 1-2 minutes. You should see a clear film pull out. THIS IS THE DNA!!!!
Carefully spool (spin) the DNA out with a popsicle stick.

Post Lab Essay Questions:

All questions have to be answered in complete sentences. Partial answers receive partial credit.

  1. In order to get to the nucleus and extract the DNA, which two components (organelles) did we have to destroy?
  1. The SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) in dish detergent and soaps break down lipids (fats). So why was detergent used in the extraction buffer?
  1. What did the frozen ethanol (rubbing alcohol do)?
  1. Describe and illustrate what the DNA of the strawberry and the banana looked like?
  1. Think back to question 4, how does this apply to people? Can you tell a person’s race by looking at their DNA?
  1. Now because of the HGP you can predict what diseases you may have lying on your genome—it is very possible to prevent certain diseases from occurring. If you had the funds (although it is very expensive), would you get your genome sequenced?
  1. Gene therapy (a result of the HGP) enables people who’ve had their genome sequenced to fix a defective gene. Is this playing God?
  1. It’s the year 2023 & now you can sequence your genome for $150.00. Would you do this? What would you do with the results (if there was a disease on your genome)? Would you go through gene therapy—or would you let nature take its course?
  1. Out of 3 billion base pairs, we share over 2.9 billion—how does this make you feel about race/culture?
  1. Knowing what you do about the HGP…in instances of blood transfusions, organ transplants, and stem cell treatment, would you deny receiving an organ because you were uncertain of the donor’s racial background? Explain.