Insect Science (2009) 16, 361-363

Craig S. Wilding, D. Weetman, K. Steen and M.J. Donnelly (2009)
Accurate determination of DNA yield from individual mosquitoes for population genomic applications
Insect Science 16 (4), 361-363
Abstract: Accurate estimates of DNA quantity are likely to become increasingly important for successful genomic screening of insect populations via recently developed, highly multiplexed genotyping assays and high-throughput sequencing methods. Here we show that genomic DNA extractions from single Anopheles gambiae Giles using a standard commercial kit-based methodology yield extracts with concentrations below the linear range of spectrophotometric absorbance at 260 nm. Concentrations determined by spectrophotometry were not reproducible, and are therefore neither accurate nor reliable. However, DNA quantification using a fluorescent nucleic acid stain (PicoGreen^®) gave highly reproducible concentration estimates, and indicated that, on average, single mosquitoes yielded approximately 300 ng of DNA. Such a total yield is currently insufficient for many high-throughput genome screening applications, necessitating whole genome amplification of all or most individuals in a population prior to genotyping.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Craig S. Wilding, Martin J. Donnelly

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anopheles gambiae