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Advanced—For experienced high school and college classes; requires some technical skill.
Students use a classroom-friendly protocol involving saline mouthwash or a hair sample and Chelex® extraction to obtain a sample of their own DNA. This high-quality kit then has students amplify and sequence a 440-nucleotide segment of a hypervariable region of the mitochondrial chromosome. Kit includes enough materials for 25 students to perform the DNA extraction and amplification process.

Product Details
Advanced—For experienced high school and college classes; requires some technical skill.

Generate excitement by having your students amplify their own mitochondrial DNA for sequencing!

• Uses a simple, robust protocol ideal for the classroom
• Enlivens discussions on the molecular basis of heredity and evolution
• Provides a basic version of the lab that is used in forensics and the analysis of ancient DNA samples
• Teaches real-world applications of PCR
• Includes online resources to enhance the learning experience

Students use safe saline mouthwash or hair and Chelex® extraction to obtain a sample of their own DNA. Then they amplify a 440-nucleotide segment of a hypervariable region of the mitochondrial chromosome, which contains numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). After gel electrophoresis confirms amplification, the student samples may be sent for sequencing (the cost of sequencing is not included in the price of the kit). Students then compare their SNPs to ancient hominids and to people from different world populations to discover patterns of DNA variation and to analyze theories of human evolution.

Product Features

• Provides sufficient materials for 25 students to perform the DNA extraction and amplification step of the protocol (does not include materials for electrophoresis)
• Includes Ready-to-Go™ PCR Beads

Note: Kit includes a voucher to request perishable materials later at your convenience. Contact Carolina or return the voucher to request delivery of perishables.