Abstract:
Studies on genetic diversity, adaptive potential and fitness of species have become a major tool in
conservation biology. These studies require biological material containing a reliable source of DNA
which can be extracted and analysed. Recently, non-invasive sampling has become the preferred
sampling method of such biological material; particularly when studying endangered species.
Elasmoid scales from teleost fish are an example of non-invasive samples from which DNA can
successfully be extracted. This study compared different extraction protocols to find an optimal
method for extracting DNA from teleost fish scales. This was done with the intent to use the protocol
that yielded the highest quantity of DNA on dried, archived scales. The protocols tested in this
study included (1) phenol/chloroform with a TNES-urea digestion bufer, (2) phenol/chloroform
with an amniocyte digestion buffer and (3) Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit with variations in
incubation times and temperatures of each protocol. While the phenol/chloroform with TNES-urea
digestion buffer yielded significantly higher concentrations of DNA compared to the other protocols,
all protocols followed in this study yielded sufficient quantities of DNA for further downstream
applications. Therefore, while there are multiple viable options when selecting a DNA extraction
protocol, each research project’s individual needs, requirements and resources need to be carefully
considered in order to choose the most effective protocol.
