Utility of FTA cards for the preservation of marine green and red algal DNA
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Wilson Freshwater, Research Specialist (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Abstract: Fast Technology for Analysis of nucleic acids (FTA)
cards are a paper-based matrix impregnated with
chelators, denaturants and free-radical traps that inhibit
enzymes, chemicals and microbes that might degrade
DNA or RNA. Originally developed for Phenylketonuria screening in newborns (Guthrie and Susi 1963),
they were subsequently used in human medical and
forensic science for detecting DNA by the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) (e.g., Devost and Choy 2000;
Vanek et al. 2001). Further research has expanded the
use of FTA cards to both DNA and RNA based studies
of many organisms including plants (e.g., Roy and
Nassuth 2005; Tsukaya et al. 2005), but their utility with
marine algae has not been tested.
Many different methods for the preservation of
marine algal samples and the subsequent extraction of
DNA have been published. Whereas DNA extractions
from live material work best, it is often not practical to
transport living algae back to the lab. Frozen samples
are known to work well, however difficulty with
transporting frozen material from remote collecting
locations prompted the use of silica gel desiccant to
quick dry samples in the field (Freshwater and Rueness
1994). Other researchers have found that ethanol
preservation of some algal groups works better than
quick drying (e.g., Koistra et al. 2002; Lin and Fredericq
2003). Similar to differences in preservation success, the
best method for extracting DNA from preserved
samples varies in the different algal groups, and
consequently a large number of methods and commercial kits have been used (e.g., Mayes et al. 1992; Goff
and Moon 1993; Hughey et al. 2001; Curtis et al. 2008).
The FTA card system would seem to be an ideal method
for both the preservation and later extraction of marine
algal DNA, and therefore a series of tests were carried
out to determine its utility.
Utility of FTA cards for the preservation of marine green and red algal DNA
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Freshwater, D., & Schmitt, S. L. (2009). Utility of fta cards for the preservation of marine green and red algal DNA. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science, 125(3), 103-106. Retrieved from http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/jncas/id/3933/rec/4
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- DNA extraction, DNA preservation, FTA card, Marine algal DNA, PCR.
- Subjects
- Red algae
- Green algae
- Marine algae
- DNA
- Nucleic acids—Analysis
- Polymerase chain reaction
Title | Location & Link | Type of Relationship |
Utility of FTA cards for the preservation of marine green and red algal DNA | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/jncas/id/3933/rec/4 | The described resource is a physical or logical part of the related resource. |