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Describe the visual appearance of the DNA you isolated as it precipitated in the ethanol and then after you started dissolving it in TE.

How would you describe the appearance of DNA during precipitation in ethanol?
a. Colorless and transparent
b. Green and opaque
c. White and stringy
d. Yellow and granular

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

DNA appears white and stringy when precipitated with ethanol. It aggregates and can be spooled on a glass rod. Upon rehydration in TE buffer, DNA dissolves slowly.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the process of ethanol precipitation, DNA appears as white and stringy material. As you add ice-cold ethanol to the supernatant containing the DNA, the DNA molecules aggregate and precipitate out of the solution. The precipitated DNA can then be spooled onto a glass rod due to its viscosity. It is normal for the DNA to not dissolve immediately upon the addition of the TE buffer; this is because DNA tends to rehydrate slowly.

User Mario Ene
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