Nucleic Acid Extraction Module

To clone a gene, genomic DNA (gDNA) must first be extracted from the organism. The nucleic acid extraction module allows students to extract all nucleic acids from plant cells using tissue grinding and lysis, followed by purification using column chromatography. The final sample, which contains gDNA and RNA, can be used for PCR. RNA can then be removed from the sample by treatment with RNase I as an optional activity.

The protocol provided with this module has been optimized for genomic DNA extraction from most plant species. Different plants yield different quantities of genomic DNA. Each extraction yields sufficient DNA for 16 PCR amplifications.

If you want students to use the nucleic acid extraction module to extract RNA, genomic DNA can be removed from the sample with DNase I treatment. For further RNA work, elution using DEPC-treated water is recommended.