DNA extraction lab

The question was How can DNA be separated from cheek cells in order to study it. In this lab we had a procedure and tried to group them according to the three basic steps: homogenization, lysis, and precipitation. We swished Gatorade around in our mouth and spit it back out. The Gatorade homogenized it. The Gatorade and saliva mixture didn't mix and the DNA precipitated because the Gatorade was polar and the alcohol was non polar. One possible error we made was when we put the alcohol in. If we didn't carefully add in the alcohol, then the two solution could have mixed and we wouldn't have been able to see the DNA. To improve this I would recommend people to carefully pour in the alcohol. Another possible error was that we didn't swish around the Gatorade in our mouth enough. This wouldn't have gotten enough DNA in the solution which would've affected how it formed later.