Development of an Efficient Protocol of RNA Isolation from Recalcitrant Tree Tissues

Isolation of RNA from recalcitrant tree tissues has been problematic due to large amounts of secondary metabolites and interfering compounds in their cells. We have developed an efficient RNA extraction method, which yielded high-quality RNA preparations from tissues of the lychee tree. The method reported here utilized EDTA, LSS, and CTAB to successfully inhibit RNase activities. It was found that a high ionic strength brought about by 2 M NaCl was necessary. In addition, secondary metabolites and other interfering compounds were effectively removed using sodium borate and PVPP under a deoxidized condition. The quality of purified RNA was tested by both RACE and Northern blotting analysis, ensuring that the RNA could be used for subsequent gene expression analysis. This method has been successfully applied to purify RNA from 15 other plant species. In conclusion, the protocol reported here is expected to have excellent applications for RNA isolation from recalcitrant plant tissues.     

Using silica particles to isolate total RNA from plant tissues recalcitrant to extraction in guanidine thiocyanate

The most commonly used protocol of the RNA isolation, the guanidine thiocyanate method, was unsuitable for recalcitrant plant tissues containing a large amount of storage proteins and secondary metabolites. We demonstrated that RNA could bind to the silica particles, which have been used successfully in DNA isolation from various sources, under a high concentration of NaCl in the presence of ethanol and sodium acetate. Based on this observation, an efficient, inexpensive, and highly reproducible technique, the acid phenol-silica method, was developed to isolate high-quality RNAs from various plant tissues recalcitrant to extraction in guanidine thiocyanate.     

Rapid and Efficient Isolation of High-Quality Small RNAs from Recalcitrant Plant Species Rich in Polyphenols and Polysaccharides

Small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), are important regulators of plant development and gene expression. The acquisition of high-quality small RNAs is the first step in the study of its expression and function analysis, yet the extraction method of small RNAs in recalcitrant plant tissues with various secondary metabolites is not well established, especially for tropical and subtropical plant species rich in polysaccharides and polyphenols. Here, we developed a simple and efficient method for high quality small RNAs extraction from recalcitrant plant species. Prior to RNA isolation, a precursory step with a CTAB-PVPP buffer system could efficiently remove compounds and secondary metabolites interfering with RNAs from homogenized lysates. Then, total RNAs were extracted by Trizol reagents followed by a differential precipitation of high-molecular-weight (HMW) RNAs using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000. Finally, small RNAs could be easily recovered from supernatant by ethanol precipitation without extra elimination steps. The isolated small RNAs from papaya showed high quality through a clear background on gel and a distinct northern blotting signal with miR159a probe, compared with other published protocols. Additionally, the small RNAs extracted from papaya were successfully used for validation of both predicted miRNAs and the putative conserved tasiARFs. Furthermore, the extraction method described here was also tested with several other subtropical and tropical plant tissues. The purity of the isolated small RNAs was sufficient for such applications as end-point stem-loop RT-PCR and northern blotting analysis, respectively. The simple and feasible extraction method reported here is expected to have excellent potential for isolation of small RNAs from recalcitrant plant tissues rich in polyphenols and polysaccharides.     

Isolation of nucleic acids from plants by differential solvent precipitation.

The purification of nucleic acids from plant tissue is often made difficult by the presence of contaminating carbohydrate polymers and polyphenols. A procedure for the simultaneous isolation of DNA and translatable RNA from plants is described. The method removes most of the polysaccharides and polyphenols extracted with nucleic acids in a single step by taking advantage of differences in solubility of these compounds in the solvent 2-butoxyethanol. Stepwise addition of 2-butoxyethanol to phenol extracts of specific ionic strength precipitates nucleic acids largely free of contaminants. Subsequent separation of RNA from DNA by precipitation with LiCl was optimised to give a high recovery of translationally active RNA. Successful isolation of nucleic acids from strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) receptacle, a particularly recalcitrant tissue, and from a range of tissues of other plant species demonstrates the general applicability of the method.     

A New Method for Rapid Extraction of High Quality RNA from Recalcitrant Tissues of Grapevine

A quick, inexpensive, and reliable protocol for the extraction of RNA from grapevine berry skins containing large quantities of polyphenols, procyanidins, and polysaccharides is described. The method involves an extraction step in the presence of ribonuclease inhibitors and compounds that compete with vacuolar contaminants for binding to RNA. After extraction with organic solvents, RNA is bound to a fibrous cellulose matrix and processed to eliminate the remaining contaminants and ribonucleases. Following this method, highly stable RNA, sufficiently pure for northern hybridizations and enzymatic processing, may be obtained from as little as 200 mg of starting amounts of fresh material and without multiple, time consuming precipitations or ultracentrifugation steps. This procedure may also prove useful for extracting RNA from recalcitrant tissues of other plant species. Abbreviations: ATA, aurintricarboxylic acid; CF11, cellulose fibrous medium (type 11); PVPP, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone; RT room temperature; VRC, vanadyl ribonucleoside complex.     

Isolation of RNA and Protein from Guard Cells of Nicotiana glauca

Stomatal guard cells are critical for maintenance of plant homeostasis and represent an interesting cell type for studies of leaf cell differentiation and patterning. Here we describe techniques for the isolation of guard cell RNA and protein from blended epidermal peels of Nicotiana glauca. The RNA isolation procedure is a modification of the hot borate method, which is particularly well-suited for recalcitrant tissues. Protein was extracted by disrupting guard cell-enriched epidermis with a French® press. This system offers the following advantages: relatively high yield, low or no contamination by other cell types, fresh tissue as a source of RNA and protein rather than protoplasts, and a plant species that is readily transformable. These techniques will allow for cloning and analysis of genes expressed in guard cells, application of traditional biochemical techniques to guard cell proteins, as well as characterization of genetic manipulation of guard cell function in transgenic plants.     

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.     

Protein Extraction From Leaves of Aloe vera L., A Succulent and Recalcitrant Plant, for Proteomic Analysis

An improved method for extracting proteins from leaf tissues of Aloe vera L., a recalcitrant plant species, for proteomic analysis is presented. In this protocol, the following critical components are included. A washing step is added prior to homogenization of the tissue to eliminate contaminants, and a concentrated 2× extraction buffer (pH 7.5) is used to increase protein yield. Compared to classical trichloroacetic acid–acetone and phenol extraction methods, this novel protocol has yielded two-dimensional electrophoresis gels with minimal (if any) streaking and provided high-quality protein samples. This protocol is expected to be applicable to other recalcitrant plant tissues.     

RNA-free DNA Extraction Protocol from PinusTissues for Molecular Biology or HPCE/HPLC Analyses

A simple method for extracting DNA from various in vitro or ex vitro Pinus tissues is described. Good yield and high quality RNA-free DNA ready to use in molecular biology assays or analytical analysis was obtained. DNA quality was measured analyzing absorption spectra between 200 and 300 nm, A_260/280 ratio and HPCE. This protocol was tested with no modification in a wide range of Pinus tissues from recalcitrant in vitro callus to mature field scions improving the results obtained with previous protocols. As the protocol is simple, almost universal and inexpensive it may be used for routine isolation from Pinus tissues. An isolation troubleshooting table was included to facilitate the setting up of reported protocol to other plant species.     

Isolation of high quality RNA and construction of a suppression subtractive hybridization library from ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud.)

Isolation of high quality RNA from ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud.) is difficult due to its high levels of polyphenols, polysaccharides, pectin, fat, wax and other secondary metabolites. A modified procedure based on guanidinium isothiocyanate for RNA preparation of ramie was developed in this study. High concentrations (5%, v/v) of guanidinium isothiocyanate, PVP-4000, sodium citrate and sodium lauryl sarcosinate and β-mercaptoethanol were used in the extraction buffer, together with a low pH sodium acetate (pH 4.0) added to improve the RNA quality. The average yield was about 400 μg RNAg^?1 fresh leaves. One SSH library which was induced by ramie anthracnose was constructed by utilizing the RNA extracted through the present method. These results showed that our protocol was applicable for RNA isolation from recalcitrant ramie tissues.     

植物提取物对大豆疫霉菌抗菌活性的初步研究

采用Paper Disk法测定了云南省200种植物的提取物对大豆疫霉(Phytophthora sojae)的抑菌活性。结果表明,光叶合欢(Albizia lucidior)、白钩藤(Uncaria sessilifructus)及黄豆树(Albizia procera)的提取物在浓度为10μg/μL时有较好的抗菌活性,而在2.5μg/μL时只有黄豆树提取物显示出抗菌活性。并从黄豆树中分离出其抗菌的主要活性成分3-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-(1→6)-2-acetamidO-2-deoxy-β-D-glu-copyranosyl]echinocystic acid。     

A reliable and efficient method for total rna isolation from various members of spurge family (Euphorbiaceae)

Introduction – It is prerequisite and crucial to extract RNA with high quality and integrity in order to carry out molecular biology studies in any plant species of a family. Euphorbiaceae members are known for high levels of their waxes, oils with polysaccharides, polyphenolics and secondary metabolites. These conditions are recognised to interfere unfavourably with various methodologies of RNA isolation. Objective – To develop a simple, rapid and reproducible cetyltrimethylamonium bromide (CTAB)‐based protocol, to reduce the time and cost of extraction without reducing quality and yield of RNA extracted from various recalcitrant Euphorbiaceae member plant tissues such as from tree leaves (Hevea brasilensis), woody shrubs leaves (Ricinus communis, Jatropha curcas, Manihot esculenta) and storage root tissue (M. esculenta). Methodology – Simple modifications and fast steps were introduced to the original CTAB protocol. All centrifugation steps were carried out at 4°C at 12000 rpm for 10 min, the sample weight was decreased and usage of spermidine and LiCl was omitted, reducing incubation time prior to RNA precipitation. This rapid CTAB protocol was compared with various RNA isolation methods intended for use with plants rich in polysaccharides and secondary metabolites. Results – The procedure can be completed within 2 h and many samples can be processed at the same time. RNA of high quality could be isolated from all the tissues of species that we tried. The isolated RNA from different species served as a robust template for RT‐PCR analysis. Conclusion – The study has shown that the improvement of a CTAB‐based protocol allows the rapid isolation of high‐quality RNA from various recalcitrant Euphorbiaceae members. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isolation of plant nuclei suitable for flow cytometry from recalcitrant tissue by use of a filtration column

Flow cytometry is widely applied in the determination of nuclear DNA content and ploidy level in many organisms. However, a difficulty with flow cytometry is the method's intrinsic inability to tolerate large particles that associate with the isolated nuclei. A suspension of plant nuclei can often contain a high level of crystalline calcium oxalate, which blocks the fluidics system of the flow cytometer. We designed a cotton column and added polyvinylpyrrolidone-40 to the buffer to remove phenolic impurities and cytoplasmic compounds from plant nuclei, making the suspension suitable for flow cytometry. This simple and highly efficient protocol enables isolation of intact nuclei from plant tissues containing high levels of polysaccharides, calcium oxalate crystals and other metabolites. Our protocol resulted in the isolation of intact nuclei from mature orchid leaves. This method can be used on recalcitrant tissues and is particularly effective on plants containing calcium oxalate crystals.     

Optimisation of RNA extraction from Gracilaria changii (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta)

RNA extraction from seaweed tissues is problematic due to the presence of polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds upon cell disruption. Besides, a successful RNA isolation from seaweed tissues can sometimes be strain- and species-specific. Four different methods were used to extract RNA from Gracilaria changii (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta), collected from the mangrove area at Morib, Selangor, Malaysia. An optimised and modified total RNA extraction method was developed for this recalcitrant species. The use of sand in tissue grinding, and the incorporation of phenol extraction at the initial stage resulted in the highest RNA yield (0.65–1.14 g g^–1 fresh weight) with high quality (A_260:280 ratio 1.80–2.05). The RNA obtained is suitable for cDNA synthesis and future functional genomic studies.     

RNA isolation from loquat and other recalcitrant woody plants with high quality and yield

RNA isolation is difficult in plants that contain large amounts of polysaccharides and polyphenol compounds. To date, no commercial kit has been developed for the isolation of high-quality RNA from tissues with these characteristics, especially for fruit. The common protocols for RNA isolation are tedious and usually result in poor yields when applied to recalcitrant plant tissues. Here an efficient RNA isolation protocol based on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and two successive precipitations with 10 M lithium chloride (LiCl) was developed specifically for loquat fruits, but it was proved to work efficiently in other tissues of loquat and woody plants. The RNA isolated by this improved protocol was not only of high purity and integrity (A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ ratios ranged from 1.90 to 2.04 and A₂₆₀/A₂₃₀ ratios were > 2.0) but also of high yield (up to 720 μg on average [coefficient of variation = 21%] total RNA per gram fresh tissue). The protocol was tested on loquat fruit (different stages of development, postharvest, ripening, and bruising), leaf, root, flower, stem, and bud; quince fruit and root; grapevine cells in liquid culture; and rose petals. The RNA obtained with this method is amenable to enzymatic treatments and can be efficiently applied for research on gene characterization, expression, and function.     

莲藕组织总RNA的快速提取方法

莲藕组织富含多糖、脂质、酚类等物质,用一般的方法较难提取高质量的RNA。在改进前人方法的基础上,建立了一种高效、简单的CTAB-LiCl提取法,能快速提取高质量的莲藕组织总RNA,并且产率高、完整性好、纯度高,能进一步满足RT-PCR等分子生物学实验的需要。此外,该方法也适用于其它富含多糖、脂质、酚类等物质的植物组织总RNA的提取。     

Improved method for the isolation of RNA from plant tissues

A fast and efficient method for the isolation of RNA from plant tissues is described. Tuber tissue is homogenized in a guanidine hydrochloride-containing buffer followed by direct extraction with phenol/chloroform. The RNA is precipitated from the aqueous phase, washed with 3 M sodium acetate and 70% ethanol, and finally dissolved in water. The yield of RNA is up to 500 micrograms/g of tissue and several tests indicate intact and nondegraded RNA. This method can be adapted to a small-scale version by the use of 1.5-ml tubes, allowing rapid isolation of RNA from a larger number of samples. Finally, this method is of particular use for isolating RNA from tissues with a high polysaccharide and nuclease content such as wounded potato tubers.