First what we did was take the strawberries and smash them up in a zip lock bag to break up the cell walls. Then to help dissolve the cell membranes we mixed in a buffer that was primarily diluted shampoo (the cheapest source of Acetal Laurel Sulfate), somtimes meat tenderizer is also used in the buffer to help destroy enzymes that might damage the DNA. Next we filtered the mashed strawberry cells through a cheese cloth to remove all the fibers and cell wall chunks and organells and any other solids leaving mostly fluids and DNA. These fluids were put into a test tube and very pure, freezing cold alcohol was gently poured in above it. Now since one end of the DNA molecule is attraced to water (hydrophillic) and the other end is repelled by it (hydrophobic) the DNA gathers and forms fibers right where the fluids and the alcohol are stratified. If you stir it gently or blow bubbles into the bottom using a small straw or pipette, the hydrophillic ends of any DNA the moves up into the alcohol will sort of turn in on each other also forming fibers with only the hydrophobic ends exposed to the alcohol. It's really easy to see the DNA fibers suspended so all you have to do is take a freezing cold glass rod or something and gather up the DNA like cotton candy. Strawberries were used because they have been altered to have 8 times the natural amount of cromosomes but the process is just the same on anything else.

To do the electrophoresis first you take special restricton enzymes that cut the DNA at specific points along the DNA code. for example EcoriII cuts DNA wherever there is a GAATTC. If the DNA code is different it will make different amounts of different sized peices and if it is the same it will be the same. Then you prepare these thin gells with little wells at one end. you put the cut up DNA in the wells and then attach the electrodes with the negitive end just behind the wells and the positeve and the other side of the gell. The current carries the DNA pieces through the gell, the little pieces move farther and the big pieces get caught up in the gell and don't move as far. Where it stops you get a dark band. The same DNA will always produce the same series of bands depending on the enzyme used.
Some genetic traits produce what they call "markers" on an electrophoresis, visible bands that wouldn't normaly be there. I was hoping there was some obvious marker for either florida or nothern.
Oh another note, I was wrong we wont be doing the electrophoresis untill march. So it'll have to wait a while untill I can have any results.

-Scott

Take great care of it, or let someone else have it.