Extracting DNA from Saliva Samples
Author Information
Author(s): Ehli Erik A, Lengyel-Nelson Timea, Hudziak James J, Davies Gareth E
Primary Institution: Avera Institute for Human Behavioral Genetics
Hypothesis
Can high quality human genomic DNA be extracted from saliva saturated cotton spit wads stored for 11 years?
Conclusion
High quality and abundant genomic DNA can be successfully retrieved from saliva saturated cotton spit wads using a commercially available kit.
Supporting Evidence
- The DNA yield ranged from approximately 1 μg to a total of 80 μg, with a mean of 17.3 μgs.
- A260/A280 ratios for the extracted DNA were consistently within acceptable values of 1.7–2.0.
- 98.3% of the samples successfully amplified the 5HTTLPR polymorphism.
Takeaway
Researchers found a way to get good DNA from spit wads that have been stored for a long time, which can help in studying genetics.
Methodology
DNA was extracted from saliva saturated cotton spit wads using the QIAamp DNA Blood Midi Kit with some modifications.
Limitations
The study is limited to spit wads collected from a specific ADHD sample population.
Participant Demographics
783 individuals from 207 families, including 167 families with ADHD probands and 40 control families.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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