Final answer:
The step of DNA isolation that requires a NaCl salt solution to stabilize DNA molecules and prevent degradation is the step of salt extraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The step of DNA isolation that requires a NaCl salt solution to stabilize DNA molecules and prevent degradation is the step of salt extraction. Salt extraction dissociates most of the proteins from the chromatin, allowing for the isolation of DNA. When a low salt extract is centrifuged and the pellet is resuspended, the remaining chromatin appears as beads on a string, with the DNA-wrapped nucleosomes as the beads. The NaCl salt solution stabilizes the DNA molecules and prevents their degradation during the isolation process.