A Simple Method for RNA Extraction from Marine Macroalgae

Algae > Volume 12(1); 1997 > Article

Algae 1997;12(1): 53-56.

Soon Hee Kim, Yoo Kyung Lee, Choo Bong Hong, In Kyu Lee

Department of Biology, and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Department of Biology, Seoul National University

ABSTRACT

A simple method for RNA extraction from marine macroalgae was worked out. RNA was extracted in the presence of phenol to inhibit RNase activity and collected by LiCl precipitation to remove polysaccharide. This method was applied to Porphyra yezoensis, Griffithsia japonica, Dilophus okamurae, Scytosiphon lomentaria, Enteromorpha linza, Cladophora sp., and Chaetomorpha spiralis. Electrophoresis of RNA from these algae showed distinct bands of RNA upon nucleic acid-specific staining. mRNA was isolated from the total RNA extracted from Griffithsia japonica, and the total RNA and mRNA were electrophoresed and hybridized with the actin gene of Dictyostelium discoideum as a probe. A distinct band at 1.5 kb was detected from the RNA blot hybridization. The quality of mRNA was also good enough for the synthesis of cDNA on the purpose of cDNA library construction.

Key words: cDNA library, LiCl precipitation, marine macroalgae, mRNA, polysaccharide, RNA extraction