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DNA extraction from microbial mats. Alejandro López-Cortés & José Q. García-Maldonado. June, 2011. For looking life on Mars. The search life on other planets starts with the comprehension of life on Earth. Thus, w e must first identify the characteristics of life
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DNA extraction from microbial mats Alejandro López-Cortés & José Q. García-Maldonado June, 2011
For looking life on Mars • The search life on other planets starts with the comprehension of life on Earth. Thus, we must first identify the characteristics of life • Characteristics of life such reproduction, heredity, energy obtention, homeostais, adaptation and evolution of cells are codify by a biomolecule named deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA • DNA is a complex molecule (polymer) carrying the information for the development of every trait, or characteristic, of an organism
DNA is compose by nucleotides which consists of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine) Chemistry of DNA
In cells, DNA is presented in double-stranded helix form, which are complementary and antiparallel, the 3' end on one side of the ladder is opposite the 5' end on the other side. Structure of DNA
Geochemistry • DNA or their components could be detect in rocks and sediments of planet Earth • These biosignatures could be search in samples of rock of Mars
Microbial Ecology • In ME is the critical fist step for many subsequent molecular biological techniques (e.g., PCR, cloning and sequencing), having as a final goal the analysis of the composition of the microbial community through their genetic material.
Microbial Mats • Microbial mats are the modern counterparts of stromatolites (fossils laminated rocks built by microorganims) • Our activity, consider the use of microbial mats from Baja California Sur, Mexico to isolate DNA
Steps to recovery DNA • Cell lysis with chemical and mechanical disruption. • Removing membrane lipids, proteins and inhibitors. • Precipitation of DNA with ethanol. • Visualization of DNA in an agarose gel
Non-toxic protocol for DNA Extraction from microbial mats and strawberries Cell lysis • Crush 4 grams of microbial mats or 2 strawberries in a mortar with help of a pestle • Transfer the crushed material (microbial mats or strawberries) into the beaker (250 ml) • Add 25 ml of cold distilled water and mix gently with the spatula by 3 min. • Add a pinch of salt (sodium chloride). • Mix with a spatula for about 5 minutes until obtain a homogeneous solution
Non-toxic protocol for DNA Extraction from microbial mats and strawberries Removing membrane lipids, proteins and inhibitors • Add 15 ml of liquid soap (“Axion”) and mix for 15 minutes. • Add 0.1 g of papaine (crude powder Sigma P3375). • Mix for 5 minutes or until obtain a homogeneous solution.
Non-toxic protocol for DNA Extraction from microbial mats and strawberries Precipitation of DNA • Tranfer to a glass tube using a funnel to try to do not touch the wall of the tube. Fill only 1/3 of the glass tube • Slowly add cold ethanol through the wall of test tube until 90% of their capacity and maintain in a slant position the tube • Wait until the white-yellow filaments are going up or floating • With a Pasteur pipettes with a curved tip take the filaments and air dry for 5 min • Transfer the dried filaments into the plastic 1.5 ml vial, containing 50µl of loading buffer • Incubate for about 30 minutes at room temperature
Non-toxic protocol for DNA Extraction from microbial mats and strawberries Electrophoresis (visualization of DNA) • Using a microwave, dissolve 0.8 g of agarose in 80ml of TBE buffer • Pouring the melted agarose in the tray with the combs • Wait until gelification • Load the sample in the well • Run for 30 minutes at 100Volts • Take out the gel and transfer to the plastic container • Add 500 ml of Fast Blast solution 100X • Incubate in a dark for 5 minutes • Take out the gel and transfer to another plastic container with tap water • Shake gently for about 5 minutes, discard the water and repeat the step 23. • After 5 minutes the DNA bands will appear • Dry the gel and take a picture.
Materials Beaker 250 ml Cylinder (50 ml) Mortars and pestles Spatula Test tubes Funnel Pasteur pipettes with a curved tip Plastic vials of 1.5 ml Micropipette (10-100 µl) Plastic tips Electrophoresis chamber Power supply Plastic container for the staining Nitrile gloves Reagents 4 g of fresh microbial mats or 2 frozen strawberries 25 ml of cold distilled water A pinch of salt (sodium chloride) 15 ml of liquid soap (“Axion”) 0.1 g of papaine (crude powder Sigma P3375) 20 ml of cold ethanol Agarose Fast Blast reagent from BIORAD Loading buffer (Blue/Orange Loading dye 6x Promega) Trizma boric acid EDTA (TBE buffer) Non-toxic protocol for DNA Extraction from microbial mats and strawberries