gDNA extraction with pestle and mortar without liquid nitrogen? - (Aug/20/2010 )

Hi all,
i was wondering if anyone has performed a gDNA extraction with pestle and mortar without liquid nitrogen? We do not have a bead beater either..
Any suggestions? could i just freeze sample at -80 grind, thaw repeat?
thanks!

-proteinz-

proteinz on Fri Aug 20 15:44:07 2010 said:

depending on the material you could try to use dried or freeze-dried material for this...

-hobglobin-

Thanks for the reply! My sample is a large community of bacteria. Unfortunately I don't have access to a lyophiliser. Any other ideas?

-proteinz-

Freeze the mortar and pestle also, perhaps with some ethanol, and you can keep things at near -80 while you grind them.
You'll need good insulating gloves.

-phage434-

Or use dry ice as the freezing agent for grinding.

-bob1-

Another alternative for you:
Boil your bacteria colonies in sterile water, briefly spin down the debris and use the supernatant as template.

-adrian kohsf-