Statistical assessment of DNA extraction methodology for culture-independent analysis of microbial community associated with diverse environmental samples

Cost-effectiveness, quality, time-effectiveness and ease of the methodology are the most crucial factors in isolating quality DNA from wide variety of samples. Thus, research efforts focusing on the development of an efficient DNA extraction protocol is the need of the hour. The present study therefore, focuses on development of an efficient, rapid and free of inhibitory substances based methodology for extracting metagenomic DNA from diverse environmental samples viz. anaerobic biogas digesta, ruminant stomach, human feces, soil, and microbial starter cultures used for preparation of fermented food. PCR–DGGE based analysis and quality metagenomic library preparation, using DNA extraction methodology, validates the developed protocol. The developed protocol is cost effective, capable of isolating DNA from small sample size (100–1000 µl), time efficient (1.5–2.0 h protocol) and results in significantly higher DNA yield (4–8 times increased yield) when compared to previously available DNA extraction method and a commercial DNA extraction kit. The DNA extracted from the samples using different protocols was evaluated based on its ability to identify diverse microbial species using PCR–DGGE profiles targeting variable region within the 16S rRNA gene. The results of microbial community analysis revealed comparability of the developed protocol to commercial kits, in effectively identifying dominant representatives of the microbial community in different samples. Using the DNA extracted from the presented methodology, metagenomic libraries were prepared, which were found suitable for sequencing on Illumina platform.     

鳞翅目成虫乙醇保存标本基因组DNA的提取及在微卫星研究中的应用

高质量的基因组DNA样品是分子生态学研究的先决条件。本研究目的在于探索从东方粘虫Pseudaletia separata (Walker)成虫自然种群的乙醇保存标本中分离高质量基因组DNA的有效方案。在2 mL微型离心管中进行4种提取方案的实验比较,结果发现采用传统的苯酚抽提方法的2种方案提取腹部中段组织的基因组DNA,样品合格率只有7.69%~40%。但是,如果在苯酚抽提以前加入高浓度盐和十六烷基三甲基溴化铵（CTAB）,就会使DNA样品合格率达到68.42%~95.28%,而且DNA平均产量达到5.59~10.04 mg/g,明显高于前者的2.83~5.78 mg/g （统计检验表明,在不同种群中差异显著或不显著）。研究结果还证明腹部组织比胸部组织更适宜提取DNA。对来自一个自然种群的99头东方粘虫DNA合格样品的统计分析表明,DNA提取总量（μg）与组织样品用量（mg）之间存在弱的正相关关系,平均DNA提取量（mg/g）与组织样品用量（mg）之间存在中度负相关关系。总之,在2 mL微型离心管中,用10~20 mg腹部组织,利用CTAB+苯酚抽提方法可以获得高纯度和高含量的基因组DNA样品。用该方案提取的基因组DNA能够顺利地进行微卫星位点的分离和基因分型。     

Species‐level biodiversity assessment using marine environmental DNA metabarcoding requires protocol optimization and standardization

DNA extraction from environmental samples (environmental DNA; eDNA) for metabarcoding‐based biodiversity studies is gaining popularity as a noninvasive, time‐efficient, and cost‐effective monitoring tool. The potential benefits are promising for marine conservation, as the marine biome is frequently under‐surveyed due to its inaccessibility and the consequent high costs involved. With increasing numbers of eDNA‐related publications have come a wide array of capture and extraction methods. Without visual species confirmation, inconsistent use of laboratory protocols hinders comparability between studies because the efficiency of target DNA isolation may vary. We determined an optimal protocol (capture and extraction) for marine eDNA research based on total DNA yield measurements by comparing commonly employed methods of seawater filtering and DNA isolation. We compared metabarcoding results of both targeted (small taxonomic group with species‐level assignment) and universal (broad taxonomic group with genus/family‐level assignment) approaches obtained from replicates treated with the optimal and a low‐performance capture and extraction protocol to determine the impact of protocol choice and DNA yield on biodiversity detection. Filtration through cellulose‐nitrate membranes and extraction with Qiagen's DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit outperformed other combinations of capture and extraction methods, showing a ninefold improvement in DNA yield over the poorest performing methods. Use of optimized protocols resulted in a significant increase in OTU and species richness for targeted metabarcoding assays. However, changing protocols made little difference to the OTU and taxon richness obtained using universal metabarcoding assays. Our results demonstrate an increased risk of false‐negative species detection for targeted eDNA approaches when protocols with poor DNA isolation efficacy are employed. Appropriate optimization is therefore essential for eDNA monitoring to remain a powerful, efficient, and relatively cheap method for biodiversity assessments. For seawater, we advocate filtration through cellulose‐nitrate membranes and extraction with Qiagen's DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit or phenol‐chloroform‐isoamyl for successful implementation of eDNA multi‐marker metabarcoding surveys.     

Extraction of high-quality genomic DNA from latex-containing plants

The isolation of intact, high-molecular-mass genomic DNA is essential for many molecular biology applications including long PCR, endonuclease restriction digestion, Southern blot analysis, and genomic library construction. Many protocols are available for the extraction of DNA from plant material. However, for latex-containing Asteraceae (Cichorioideae) species, standard protocols and commercially available kits do not produce efficient yields of high-quality amplifiable DNA. A cetyltrimethylammonium bromide protocol has been optimized for isolation of genomic DNA from latex-containing plants. Key steps in the modified protocol are the use of etiolated leaf tissue for extraction and an overnight 25 degrees C isopropanol precipitation step. The purified DNA has excellent spectral qualities, is efficiently digested by restriction endonucleases, and is suitable for long-fragment PCR amplification.     

A convenient protocol for extraction and purification of DNA from Fragaria

Summary In this paper we describe a simple and efficient DNA extraction protocol for Fragaria species, a highly recalcitrant genus due to the large amount of polyphenols and polymeric carbohydrates present in strawberry tissues. The protocol yields a high quality DNA that can be amplified by polymerase chain reaction and digested with restriction endonucleases.     

A simple protocol for isolating genomic DNA from chestnut rose (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosa roxburghii</Emphasis> tratt) for RFLP and PCR analyses

Isolation of high-quality DNA from rosaceous species is particularly difficult because of their high levels of polyphenols, polysaccharides, and other compounds. The yields and quality of genomic DNA are considerably affected when the common protocol for DNA isolation is applied to the chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt). A simple, rapid, and efficient protocol for the extraction of DNA from the chestnut rose is described. The modified hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) procedure, which uses phenol-absent extraction to enhance the yield, involves a washing step before extraction for the removal of organic molecules and excessive water; the use of high concentrations of polyvinylpyrrolidone (2% [w/v]), CTAB (3% [w/v]), and β-mercaptoethanol (3% [v/v]) in the high-salt-concentration extraction buffer to remove polyphenols and polysaccharides; and the combined use of potassium acetate and chloroform to remove proteins and polysaccharides. Finally, DNA is precipitated with an equal volume of isopropanol and 0.1 vol of sodium acetate. This protocol results in high yields of DNA. The average yield of DNA ranged from 980–1800 μg/g of fresh weight of leaves. Downstream results indicate that DNA quality is sufficient for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses.     

改良CTAB法用于多年生植物组织基因组DNA的大量提取*

根据多年生植物组织富含多酚、多糖的具体特性,对现有的DNA提取方法进行了改进。通过增加提取缓冲液中b-巯基乙醇用量,简化氯仿/异戊醇抽提液步骤,改用经-20℃预冷异丙醇沉淀DNA等,对CTAB法加以改进。改进后方法具有以下优点：（1）获得的DNA质量良好,提取过程无明显的DNA降解,基本上排除了多酚物质的干扰;（2）用获得的DNA进行Southern杂交,可得到理想的杂交信号,可满足相关的分子研究要求;（3）操作简便。Abstract It is a difficult problem to isolate high quality DNA from plants containing a high contents of polyphenolics and polysaccharose, such as Actinidia plant. The protocol described in this paper is a modified CTAB (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide) method. High quality genomic DNA can be isolated from Actinidia plant using the improved method. The DNA is good enough for Southern blot and other uses in DNA research. The protocol is also efficient for quick and macro-DNA extraction.     

Rapid and simple methodology for isolation of high quality genomic DNA from coniferous tissues (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Taxus baccata</Emphasis>)

Various investigations have been so far performed for extraction of genomic DNA from plant tissues, in which the extracted intact DNA can be exploited for a diverse range of biological studies. Extraction of high quality DNA from leathery plant tissues (e.g., coniferous organs) appears to be a critical stage. Moreover, for some species such as Taxus trees, bioprocess engineering and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (e.g., paclitaxel) is a crucial step due to the restrictions associated with extinction of these species. However, extraction of intact genomic DNA from these plants still demands a rapid, easy and efficient protocol. To pursue such aim, in the current work, we report on the development of a simple and highly efficient method for the extraction of DNA from Taxus baccata. Based upon our protocol, interfering phenolic compounds were removed from extraction using polyvinylpyrrolidone and RNA contamination was resolved using LiCl. By employing this method, high quality genomic DNA was successfully extracted from leaves of T. baccata. The quality of extracted DNA was validated by various techniques such as RAPD marker, restriction digestions and pre-AFLP. Upon our findings, we propose this simple method to be considered for extraction of DNA from leathery plant tissues.     

Extraction of high molecular weight DNA from microbial mats

Successful and accurate analysis and interpretation of metagenomic data is dependent upon the efficient extraction of high-quality, high molecular weight (HMW) community DNA. However, environmental mat samples often pose difficulties to obtaining large concentrations of high-quality, HMW DNA. Hypersaline microbial mats contain high amounts of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)1 and salts that may inhibit downstream applications of extracted DNA. Direct and harsh methods are often used in DNA extraction from refractory samples. These methods are typically used because the EPS in mats, an adhesive matrix, binds DNA during direct lysis. As a result of harsher extraction methods, DNA becomes fragmented into small sizes. The DNA thus becomes inappropriate for large-insert vector cloning. In order to circumvent these limitations, we report an improved methodology to extract HMW DNA of good quality and quantity from hypersaline microbial mats. We employed an indirect method involving the separation of microbial cells from the background mat matrix through blending and differential centrifugation. A combination of mechanical and chemical procedures was used to extract and purify DNA from the extracted microbial cells. Our protocol yields approximately 2 μg of HMW DNA (35-50 kb) per gram of mat sample, with an A(260/280) ratio of 1.6. Furthermore, amplification of 16S rRNA genes suggests that the protocol is able to minimize or eliminate any inhibitory effects of contaminants. Our results provide an appropriate methodology for the extraction of HMW DNA from microbial mats for functional metagenomic studies and may be applicable to other environmental samples from which DNA extraction is challenging.     

Selective enrichment and detection of mycobacterial DNA in paucibacillary specimens

A major challenge for tuberculosis control is mycobacterial detection in paucibacillary disease, particularly in pediatric, extrapulmonary and smear-negative pulmonary infections. We developed a simple and efficient DNA extraction and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocol for mycobacterial detection and quantification in paucibacillary specimens. The method was refined using an in vitro model mimicking blood specimens which are characterized by the presence of numerous qPCR inhibitors. Mycobacterial DNA detection in blood is of interest given the high sensitivity we previously reported using conventional PCR in blood of patients with tuberculosis lymphadenitis. Mechanical lysis of mycobacteria in the presence of an organic solvent provided the highest sensitivity. Mycobacterial DNA amplification was compromised when the human:bacterial genome ratio was at least 190:1. Separation of the specimen into bacterial- and host-rich fractions prior to DNA extraction improved mycobacterial DNA detection by 30%. Preliminary testing of our protocol in smear-negative, culture-positive specimens (gastric and lymph node aspirates, pleural and cerebrospinal fluid, and blood) confirmed the applicability of our technique to a range of paucibacillary specimens for the detection, quantification and speciation (M. tuberculosis versus M. avium) of mycobacteria, several weeks before culture results were available. Our protocol provides a novel, efficient and simple strategy to improve the performance of qPCR in paucibacillary specimens, including those with excess human DNA background. This tool is useful to study the pathophysiology of early pulmonary or occult tuberculosis, and for more rapid and accurate diagnosis in difficult to diagnose infections.     

A simplified protocol for routine total DNA isolation from salmonid fishes

An efficient total DNA isolation protocol, suitable for routine population genetic screening purposes is described. This phenol based extraction can utilize fresh, frozen or ethanol preserved tissues.     

Efficient molecular sexing in dioecious Silene latifolia and S. dioica and paternity analysis in F(1) hybrids

Two polymerase chain reaction-based assays have been developed that work in combination with an efficient DNA extraction protocol to rapidly and reliably determine sex in the dioecious plant species Silene latifolia and S. dioica. In addition, one of the assays allows assessing paternity in the F(1) generation of intra- and interspecific matings involving the two species.     

CTAB-PEG DNA Extraction from Fungi with High Contents of Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides influence concentration and purity of extracted DNA. Here we present rapid and efficient protocol for DNA extraction from samples rich in polysaccharides. The technique has been developed using cultures of Schizophyllum commune and involves a modification of known Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) protocol. To remove polysaccharides, Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 8000 was added during DNA precipitation. Genomic DNA obtained with the CTAB-PEG method had high integrity, with average fragment size >30 kb, the concentration higher than 100 ng/μL, and the yield more than 30 μg/g. Presented technique is suitable for DNA extraction from fungi, bacteria, archaea or even mollusks with high polysaccharide content.     

Simple and efficient genomic DNA extraction protocol for molecular characterisation of Phytophthora colocasiae causing taro leaf blight

Genomic DNA extraction protocol with relatively high quantity and purity is prerequisite for the successful molecular identification and characterisation of plant pathogens. Conventional DNA extraction methods are often time-consuming and yield only very poor quantity of genomic DNA for samples with higher mycelial age. In our laboratory, we have aimed at establishing an efficient DNA isolation procedure, exclusively for the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora colocasiae causing serious leaf blight disease in taro. For this a phenol free protocol was adopted, which involves SDS/Proteinase K-based inactivation of protein contaminants, extraction of nucleic acids using chloroform: isoamyl alcohol and later precipitation of genomic DNA using isopropanol and sodium acetate. The purity of the isolated DNA was analysed by A_260/280 and A_260/230 spectrophotometric readings and confirmed by restriction digestion with restriction enzyme Eco RI. In this study, a comparative assessment was done with CTAB method and the commercial genomic DNA purification kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Fermentas, EU). The extracted DNA was found to be suitable for further downstream applications like ITS amplification of the rDNA ITS region and PCR amplification with species-specific primers.     

Rapid DNA extraction protocol from soil for polymerase chain reaction-mediated amplification

A simple and rapid method of DNA extraction from soil was developed and DNA was made suitable for subsequent efficient amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Key features of the extraction and purification were cold lysozyme- and SDS-assisted lysis with either freezing-thawing or bead beating, cold phenol extraction of the resulting soil suspension, CsCl and KAc precipitation and, finally, spermine-HCl or glass milk purification of DNA. Crude DNA preparations contained 4–20 μg DNA per g of soil extracted, and at least 50% of this was recovered in the final purified DNA preparations. The resulting DNA was pure enough to be restricted by various enzymes, and was amplifiable at concentrations of up to 20 ng of soil-derived DNA per 50 μl reaction mix.
Amplification of a 683 bp target sequence, pat, was performed with different Taq DNA polymerases. Application of the protocol enabled us to detect target DNA derived from roughly 10³ introduced Pseudomonas fluorescens (RP4 :: pat ) cfu per g of soil. The fate of an introduced population in the soil could be followed to this limit with PCR-assisted detection of target DNA. In addition, target DNA was detected in soil 5 months after release, when the introduced organism was no longer detectable on selective agar plates.
The extraction and purification protocol applied to various different soil types resulted in DNA of sufficient purity to permit amplification by PCR.     

DNA extraction from crayfish exoskeleton

Crayfish exoskeleton (CE) samples are generally less invasive and easy to be collected. However, it is difficult to extract DNA from them. This study was intended to investigate CE as a DNA source and design an easy and efficient DNA extraction protocol for polymerase chain reactions. Specific primer pair (PPO-F, PPO-R) was used to amplify extracted DNA from CE, and compared to crayfish tail muscle DNA sample. Moreover, seven microsatellites markers were used to amplify the CE DNA samples set. Since the extracted DNA from CE is suitable for gene amplification, the results present usefulness of CE as an easy and convenient DNA source for PCR-based population genetic research.     

Single-tube HotSHOT technique for the collection, preservation and PCR-ready DNA preparation of faecal samples: the threatened Cabrera's vole as a model

A cost-effective, reliable and efficient method of obtaining DNA samples is essential in large-scale genetic analyses. This study examines the possibility of using a threatened vole species, Microtus cabrerae, as a model for the collection and preservation of faecal samples for subsequent DNA extraction with a protocol based on the HotSHOT technique. Through the examination of the probability of multi-copies (mitochondrial) and single copy (microsatellite) loci amplification (including the genotype error) and of the DNA yield (estimated by real-time qPCR), the new protocol was compared with both the frequently employed methods that successfully use ethanol to preserve faecal samples and with commercial kit-based DNA extraction. The single-tube HotSHOT-based protocol is a user-friendly, non-polluting, time-saving and inexpensive method of faeces sample collection, preservation and PCR-quality gDNA preparation. This technique therefore provides researchers with a new approach that can be employed in high-throughput, noninvasive genetic analyses of wild animal populations.     

Evaluation of an automated protocol for efficient and reliable DNA extraction of dietary samples

Molecular techniques have become an important tool to empirically assess feeding interactions. The increased usage of next‐generation sequencing approaches has stressed the need of fast DNA extraction that does not compromise DNA quality. Dietary samples here pose a particular challenge, as these demand high‐quality DNA extraction procedures for obtaining the minute quantities of short‐fragmented food DNA. Automatic high‐throughput procedures significantly decrease time and costs and allow for standardization of extracting total DNA. However, these approaches have not yet been evaluated for dietary samples. We tested the efficiency of an automatic DNA extraction platform and a traditional CTAB protocol, employing a variety of dietary samples including invertebrate whole‐body extracts as well as invertebrate and vertebrate gut content samples and feces. Extraction efficacy was quantified using the proportions of successful PCR amplifications of both total and prey DNA, and cost was estimated in terms of time and material expense. For extraction of total DNA, the automated platform performed better for both invertebrate and vertebrate samples. This was also true for prey detection in vertebrate samples. For the dietary analysis in invertebrates, there is still room for improvement when using the high‐throughput system for optimal DNA yields. Overall, the automated DNA extraction system turned out as a promising alternative to labor‐intensive, low‐throughput manual extraction methods such as CTAB. It is opening up the opportunity for an extensive use of this cost‐efficient and innovative methodology at low contamination risk also in trophic ecology.     

Reliable noninvasive genotyping based on excremental PCR of nuclear DNA purified with a magnetic bead protocol

A new protocol for extraction of DNA from faeces is presented. The protocol involves gentle washing of the surface of the faeces followed by a very simple DNA extraction utilizing the wash supernatant as the source of DNA. Unlike most other protocols, it does not involve the use of proteinase K and/or organic extraction, but is instead based on adsorption of the DNA to magnetic beads. The protocol was tested by microsatellite genotyping across six loci for sheep and reindeer faeces. Comparison with DNA extracted from blood demonstrated that the protocol was very reliable, even when used on material stored for a long time. The protocol was compared with another simple, solid-phase DNA-binding protocol, with the result that the bead-based protocol gave a slightly better amplification success and a lower frequency of allelic drop-outs. Furthermore, our experiments showed that the surface wash prior to DNA extraction is a crucial step, not only for our protocol, but for other solid-phase protocols as well.