Essay About Cells Of Wheat Germ And Optimal Cell

Dna Extraction
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DNA EXTRACTION
In extracting chromatin from the cells of wheat germ there are seven steps to
follow. The optimal cell to use would be the polyploidal eukaryotic. Eukaryotes
have nucleus membrane-bound organelles, while prokaryotic does not. The
polyploidal eukaryotic cell has DNA that is held in the nucleus while the
prokaryote has DNA that floats freely around the cell. The DNA of eukaryotes is
more complex and extensive than the other. Prokaryote is a bacterial cell that
usually has DNA in one large strand and only has one chromosome while the
eukaryotic cell has more than one chromosome and is considered to be a higher
organism. Prokaryotes have an outer wall that prevents them from bursting or
collapsing due to osmotic changes. With that said, during the buffering stage the
cell could not be broken and the DNA could not be extracted.
When you add the surfactant it softens the cell and the soap dissolves and
breaks down the lipids and proteins in the phospholipid bilayer. Much like dish
detergent does to greasy dishes. Lipids are insoluble in water, the detergent
reacts with the cell and causes the molecular contents to fall out much like
hydrolysis. Without this you could never complete the extraction.
Then you add the baking soda (buffer) to the test tube. Buffer is defined as a
substance that tends to resist pH changes of a solution, thus stabilizing its
relative acidity and basicity. The baking soda will extract the DNA, nuclear
membrane and envelope out of a cell and keep it unchanged in the solution. The
baking soda must keep the pH levels at a neutral place similar to the way pool
chemicals work together. If we didnt buffer the solution we would end up with
trash. Next you add the meat tenderizer. I did further research and found
that the “hydrolyzing protein (enzyme) known as papain can either be used as
trace metal carrier or a sequestering agent that reacts with ions to form soluble
complexes.”2 Both temperature and pH can bring about a change in polypeptide
shape. When a protein loses it normal configuration it is called denatured. The
tenderizer must eliminate the proteins, the membrane and envelope allowing