DNA extraction protocol for worms

Used to get long and high quality DNA for long-insertion DNA library preparation.

Before start, check the Buffer used

CTAB buffer (1x): preheat to 65°C

SDS-EB lysis buffer (can use the one inside the kit)

Proteinase K (20 mg/ml)

RNAase A (10 mg/ml)

M9 buffer

1. Collect worms:

Wash the worms (starved, without bact) out of a 90 mm plate, using 3ml M9 and 2 1.5 ml tubes.

Collect the worm pellets from 2 tubes together by centrifugation at 3000 rpm.

Leave at most only ~50 ul M9 in the 1.5 ml tube.

2. Digestion

Add 200 ul SDS-EB lysis buffer, and 25 ul Proteinase K, 55°C for at least 1h (up to 4h).

Mix well by inversion, every 5 min. (DONOT vortex: to avoid potential DNA shearing)

3. CTAB digestion

Add 250 ul pre-heat CTAB buffer to the tube, 65°C for 30 min.

4. Phenol/chloroform extraction

Add 500 ul Phenol/chloroform (1:1) mixture to the tube, mix well by inversion (at least 1 min).

Centrifugation at 12000 rpm for 10 min, pipette the aqueous (about 450 ul) to a new 1.5 ml tube with an end-cutted tip.

5. RNA removal

Add 10 ul RNAase to the aqueous, RT for 30 min.

6. Chloroform extraction

Add 1000 ul chloroform (1:1) to the tube, mix well by inversion (at least 1 min).

Centrifugation at 12000 rpm for 10 min, pipette the aqueous (about 400 ul) to a new 1.5 ml tube with an end-cutted tip.

7. Ethanol precipitation--[STOP POINT]

Add 800 ul cold 100% ethanol to aqueous, leave sample at -80°C for at least 30 min.

8. Wash-dry-resuspent

Centrifugation at 7500 rpm for 10 min.

Wash the DNA pellet twice with 1 ml ethanol.

Discard the supernatant, air-dry the pellet (about 5-7 min is enough).

Resuspent the pellet in 200 ul TE buffer overnight at 4°C.


FAQ:

  1. The yield of this method should be ~300 ng/ul at 200 ul TE for C. briggsae worm.
  2. The only [STOP POINT] is in Ethanol precipitation, which means you can leave the sample for longer time without affecting the final result.
  3. The origin protocol using 4°C in washing, can cause higher salt remaining, so I modified it to RT.