RNA extraction method from fruit tissue high in water and sugar

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. 1292 - 1294
• Main Authors: Davis, A.R, Levi, A, Kim, S, King, S.R, Hernandez, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Society for Horticultural Science 01.08.2006
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; cantaloupes; Chemical constitution; Citrullus lanatus; Cucumis melo subsp. melo var. cantalupensis; Economic plant physiology; extraction; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; genetic techniques and protocols; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; RNA; Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum; soluble solids; sugar content; tomatoes; water content; watermelons; Vegetables; Horticulture; RNA; Citrullus lanatus; rapid; Biochemistry; tomato; RNA isolation; sugar removal; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lycopersicon esculentum; Water content; Carbohydrate; liquid removal; Solanaceae; cucurbit; Nucleic acid; Sugar; Plant tissue; Composition; Fruit; Extraction process; Biochemical compound; Desiccation; Cucurbitaceae; Vegetable crop; Fruit crop; Isolation; Spermatophyta; Cucumis melo; Molecular biology
• DOI: 10.21273/hortsci.41.5.1292
• ISSN: 0018-5345

RNA isolation from ripe fruit can be complicated by high concentrations of sugar and water. These sugars interfere with RNA extraction often resulting in low RNA quality and quantities, and high water concentrations dilute the RNA, making isolation difficult. We report a simple but novel method by which the majority of the excess sugar and water in mature fruit of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), watermelon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, and muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) can be easily removed from tissue before RNA extraction. This method produced quality RNA in a shorter time than the currently accepted method for fruit tissue RNA isolation and does not require liquid nitrogen or a freeze dryer.