Role of NaOH in plasmid DNA isolation?

Answer 1

Plasmid isolation involves growing the plasmid under conditions that are suitable for genes to come into play. For example the gene for ampicillin resistance; the bacteria with plasmids are placed with ampicillin so their genes can be seen for those who survived. Sodium hydroxide acts a detergent in the extraction process. A detergent's main role is to break down cell walls and cell membranes. How so? They act as poking holes into membranes. However, for the isolation of plasmid, the NaOH acts

Answer 2

To separate the bacterial chromosomal DNA and sheared DNA from plasmid DNA, NaOH is often used. Chromosomal DNA and sheared DNA are both linear, whereas plasmid DNA is circular. When the solution is basic, for example, when sodium hydroxide is added, double-stranded DNA molecules separate. This is known as denaturation. Their complementary bases are no longer associated with each other. This can be thought of much like the two complementary sides of a zipper. When DNA is double-stranded, the zipper is zipped up. When the DNA is denatured, the zipper is not only unzipped, but the two strands are completely separated from each other, like in a jacket.

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zakaullah akhtar