DNA Extraction from Formalin Fixed Coilia macrognathos Fin Tissues

Xiping Yuan^*, Hong Li, Chongrui Wang, Bo Hong

Fishery Environmental Monitoring Station, Fisheries Research Institute of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.

DOI: 10.4236/as.2014.512119                

Abstract

Approximately 200 mg of fin tissue from each specimen was cut into pieces and treated with a gradient of ethanol (65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% and 100%) and then DNA was extracted from formalin fish fin tissues. Agarose gel visualization of the DNA confirmed DNA extracted. MtDNA cyt b gene banding pattern of samples with agarose gel was clearly visible and could be used to be sequenced. In terms of DNA purity, the 260/280 ratio of 87.5% samples ranged between 1.8 and 2.0, indicating that DNA of the majority of the samples was pure. The developed DNA extraction procedure from formalin fish fin tissues by pretreatment with a gradient of ethanol system will be a useful tool to study the genetic structure and phylogenesis of endangered fish, by specimens preserved formalin-fixed in museum and herbarium.

Keywords

Formalin, Fish Fin, Mitochondria DNA

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Jackson V (1978) Studies on Histone Organization in the Nucleosome Using Formaldehyde as a Reversible Cross-Linking Agent. Cell, 15, 945-954. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0092-8674(78)90278-7
[2]	Koshiba, M., Ogawa, K., Hamazaki, S. (1993) The Effect of Formalin Fixation on DNA and the Extraction of High Molecular Weight DNA from Fixed and Embedded Tissues. Pathology Research and Practice, 189, 66-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0344-0338(11)80118-4
[3]	Palumbi, S.R. and Metz, E.C. (1991) Strong Reproductive Isolation between Closely Related Tropical Sea Urchins (genus Echinometra). Molecular Biology and Evolution, 8, 227-239.
[4]	Xu, L.S., Zhang, Z.B., Song, M.J., Chao, X.P., Wang, F.S. and Zhang, C.G. (2002) A Method of Extracting Genomic DNA from Animal Specimen Preserved in Formalin. Acta Zoologica Sinica, 48, 264-269.
[5]	Yang, Z., Zhu, B. and Chang, J.B. (2008) DNA Extraction Formalin-Fixed Tissue of Psephurus gladius and the Applicability of Microsatellite Developed from Its Related Species. Journal of Lake Sciences, 20, 242-250.
[6]	Henry, R.J. (1997) Practical Applications of Plant Molecular Biology. 1st Edition, Chapman and Hall, London. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3037-8