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DNA the Easy Way This demonstration can be used
to help students visualize DNA by lysing (breaking open) bacterial cells on a
slide and “stringing up” the DNA with a toothpick in less than one minute.
It is most useful for grades 7-12. It requires minimal materials (bacterial
cultures, glass microscope slides, 3% (w/v) potassium hydroxide (KOH), and
wooden toothpicks). This technique can also be used to study bacteria because only Gram-negative bacteria lyse in 3% KOH; Gram-positive
bacteria do not. The technique is equivalent to the Gram-stain reaction, but
does not require a microscope or potentially messy stains.
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