The single-step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction: twenty-something years on

Since its introduction, the 'single-step' method has become widely used for isolating total RNA from biological samples of different sources. The principle at the basis of the method is that RNA is separated from DNA after extraction with an acidic solution containing guanidinium thiocyanate, sodium acetate, phenol and chloroform, followed by centrifugation. Under acidic conditions, total RNA remains in the upper aqueous phase, while most of DNA and proteins remain either in the interphase or in the lower organic phase. Total RNA is then recovered by precipitation with isopropanol and can be used for several applications. The original protocol, enabling the isolation of RNA from cells and tissues in less than 4 hours, greatly advanced the analysis of gene expression in plant and animal models as well as in pathological samples, as demonstrated by the overwhelming number of citations the paper gained over 20 years.     

RNA extraction from various recalcitrant plant tissues with a cethyltrimethylammonium bromide-containing buffer followed by an acid guanidium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform treatment

High-quality total RNA was extracted using a cethyltrimethylammonium bromide-containing buffer followed by an acid guanidium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform treatment from recalcitrant plant tissues such as tree leaves (pine, Norway spruce, ginkgo, Japanese cedar, rose), flowers (rose, Lotus japonicus) and storage tissues (seeds of Lotus japonicus and rice, sweet potato tuber, banana fruit). This protocol greatly reduced the time required for RNA extraction.     

RNA extraction from human articular cartilage by chondrocyte isolation

We report an optimized method for RNA extraction from human articular cartilage that does not require the use of specialized equipment or column purification. To maximize RNA yield while minimizing degradation and contamination, chondrocytes are isolated from the extracellular matrix and the traditional TRIzol protocol is modified to include two RNA-DNA-protein phase separations. We compared RNA extracted using this modified method with the traditional TRIzol method by spectrophotometry, Bioanalyzer, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). With the modified method, RNA recovery is increased by nearly 1μg per 100mg of cartilage, and RNA integrity number (RIN) is improved from 2.0 to 7.5.     

Altered nucleic acid partitioning during phenol extraction or silica adsorption by guanidinium and potassium salts

Nucleic acids were found to partition into the phenol phase during phenol extraction in the presence of guanidinium at certain concentrations under acidic conditions. The guanidinium-concentration-dependent nucleic acid partitioning patterns were analogous to those of the nucleic acid adsorption/partitioning onto silica mediated by guanidinium, which implied that phenol and silica interact with nucleic acids through similar mechanisms. A competition effect was observed in which the nucleic acids that had partitioned into the phenol phase or onto the silica solid phase could be recovered to the aqueous phases by potassium in a molecular weight–salt concentration-dependent manner (the higher molecular weight nucleic acids needed higher concentrations of potassium to be recovered, and vice versa). Methods were developed based on these findings to isolate total RNA from Escherichia coli. By controlling the concentrations of guanidinium and potassium salts used before phenol extraction or silica adsorption, we can selectively recover total RNA but not the high molecular weight genomic DNA in the aqueous phases. Genomic DNA-free total RNA obtained by our methods is suitable for RT-PCR or other purposes. The methods can also be adapted to isolate small RNAs or RNA in certain molecular weight ranges by changing the salt concentrations used.     

改良异硫氰酸胍一步法提取红豆杉细胞RNA

将Chomczynski建立的RNA一步分离法加以适当改进,用以提取红豆杉细胞株E2、TC、H21的总RNA,所获RNA样品的A260/A280比值分别是1.82±0.03、1.85±0.04、1.74±0.03;A260/A230比值分别为2.02±0.03、2.15±0.03、2.03±0.05;得率分别为51.36±0.05μg/g、52.40±0.04μg/g、51.08±0.06μg/g新鲜细胞.变性琼指糖凝胶电泳图谱显示每一样品均具有完好的28S和18S两条亮带.     

一种适用范围广的总RNA提取方法

介绍一种RNA提取方法,该方法以SDS、氯仿和Tris苯酚为主要提取试剂,以LiCl和乙醇为RNA沉淀试剂。分别以柽柳(木本植物)、星星草(草本植物)、天牛（昆虫）、酿酒酵母和白腐菌（真菌）为RNA提取材料,用该方法成功地提取出了它们的总RNA。获得的RNA条带清晰,A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ 在1.8以上。通过对LiCl和乙醇沉淀RNA的效果分析表明,该方法可在10 min内完全沉淀RNA,同时也可以同时获得纯度较高的DNA。提取的RNA质量可满足cDNA文库构建,基因芯片探针标定和RT-PCR等对RNA质量要求较高的分子生物学操作,说明这是一种应用范围广的RNA提取方法。