For my project i have to extract DNA from an onion and see if the DNA can survive when separated from other cell components how do i know if the DNA survived or not?

Answer 1

I'm not too sure what you mean by survive, as this is a very interesting term you are using to refer to the nature of DNA. DNA by itself cannot survive, per se, as it is not living by itself, it does not reproduce nor intake food nor produce young by itself.

However, if you mean see if the DNA has been damaged by the extraction process, there is no easy way to find out completely, but very likely you have damaged it to some extent by removing it. The extent to which you have damaged it will vary, but generally, the darker the cluster, the more intact your sample. You must compare the darkness with the darkness seen in an onion cell going into prophase of cell division as this is the point where DNA is exposed and unravelled.